


Sunlight

by Angelscythe



Series: Akusai Month [8]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst obviously, Gen, I do what I want, M/M, Master Isa AU, No actual romance scene between characters but they're damn in love, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sometimes Fluff, long distance love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2020-07-12 01:50:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 52,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19938112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelscythe/pseuds/Angelscythe
Summary: Becoming Ansem's apprentice was supposed to be the Key to something new.Lea and Isa weren't wrong, but they never know how much it's was threatening for their own lives... They didn't know this would tear them apart. They didn't know Lea would become Axel and have to deal with his own Darkness and Isa... they present him a Keyblade but he doesn't feel worthy of this after his mistakes.../ ! \ writing about @saixbosom awesome AU!!![Akusai month Prompt : Isa summons a Keyblade]





	1. Deflagration

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everybody!!!
> 
> This fic has been inspired by @saixbosom awesome AU(if you're above 18 (don't make him uncomfortable please) give him a loooooot of love because he's totally awesome!!)
> 
> And as for the fanfiction... I'm not native english speaker, it's not my first language neither and I've dislexia so, pleaaaase, don't hold it against me if there is too much mistakes there.
> 
> Happy Akusai Month! And don't forget you're loved, you matter and stay hydrated!!!

“Wait for me!!!”

A huge stack of documents in his arms, Isa stopped and turned slightly toward his best friend, running toward him. Sheets of papers were flying around as he dashed.

“Leaaaa…” he sighed.

“Wait!” Lea arrived next to him and then followed his gaze. “Uh… oops?” he smiled. “But did you see that?”

With a movement of his chin, the redhead showed the window. Isa wondered what his friend, his best friend, could have found to pass the work. A bird? A flower? It was always like that. Since they managed to become apprentices here, thanks to Isa’s father mostly, Lea always found ways to avoid work and let Isa do everything.

But Isa froze.

Why was everything… dark?

It was only two pm. And it was quite rare to have a storm around in Radiant Garden. Even, a few months before, when the World had been covered with strange creatures, it didn’t become Dark… It was a beautiful sunny day, when they have met Ventus, that strange boy with a stranger weapon he had shown to them and yet, the same day, there were huge creatures.

“You see?! That’s so weird. What should we do? Warn Ansem?”

“It’s climate change, Lea… I honestly doubt he can do something… It’s probably… just a big rain.”

“A big rain?” Lea replied, following Isa as he started to move again.

“Yes.”

“I mean… I know what rain is but… It feels weird.”

Lea was right, obviously. This World seemed to have been dipped in a Fairy spell. Usually, when it rains, it was so bright and you could see rainbow.

“Come,” Isa said as he walked to the edge of the corridor.

“WAIT! Don’t leave me behind!” Lea begged, scared, as he ran after him.

He followed him.

“Can you hold my hand?”

“My arms are taken,” Isa replied.

“But…”

Isa stopped and moved his arm.

“Give your burthen and take my arm,” he said.

“Thank you!”

Lea complied and hugged his arm, following him.

“I’m not a baby,” he pointed out.

“I know.”

“It’s just scary.”

“I know.”

Lea sighed. “You’re judging me.”

Isa stopped and turned his head toward him.

“I don’t. There is nothing wrong if you’re scared. Never,” he said, before pressing his forehead against his.

“I’m sorry,” Lea replied.

He let got on him to hug him back, wishing to tell him how much he cared for him. But, as he hugged him, the documents bounced on the floor and flew around in a rain of sheets of papers. They both looked at the carnage and, at the same moment, despite the ugly dark clouds outside, burst in laugh together.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” Lea giggled.

“I believe that top the time you pretended to Even your dog had eaten your homework.”

“He let it pass!” Lea replied with joy.

Isa smiled at him then observed the mess before walking to the pages to gather them. Lea joined him to help him.

Minutes after, they were finally down the stairs and Isa felt quite relieved. Yes, it was really dark outside but nothing seemed to happen. It was just a dark day with black clouds. Why not?

But something went wrong…

The Castle was huge and the employees numerous. Yet, none of them crossed their path for the almost half hour they stayed in the stairs.

Even never came to ask them for the documents… Braig, who was annoying them as soon as he could, didn’t come either.

Isa wondered how he was supposed to ask to go in Ansem’s office to be sure everything was doing okay without frightening his best friend…

“Where do we bring those documents again?”

Isa looked him, seeing a chance there. “Ansem’s office,” he replied.

“Neat!” He walked to the end of the corridor then walked back under Isa’s surprised look. “Can I hold your arm?”

His friend showed a smile and nodded.

He waited for Lea to grab it then they walked to Ansem’s office. He still felt concern as they moved to their destination. It was as if they were in an abandoned mansion. He almost expected ghosts to burst out and attack them.

He should be strange to his best friend, looking around like that…

They were about to enter in the office when the door opened in a burst. Isa had the chance to glance one second inside and noticed papers all around. As if Ansem’s best friend had jumped on him to hug him. But in way worst…

“Xehanort?” Isa wondered, seeing the man who closed the door.

“Isa? Lea?” He smiled. “I was searching you everywhere!”

“Us? Why?” Lea asked.

“Something happened. Come,” he said, opening again the door.

He grabbed Isa by the shoulder and tugged him inside, forcing Lea to follow. What Isa thought he had seen was right: everything was upside-down here.

“Where is Ansem?” Isa asked.

“Come,” Xehanort said, walking to an opening in the wall.

Isa and Lea glanced at each other and then the first one moved. He put the documents on the table and pushed away Lea toward the door.

“Where is Ansem?!”

“He’s there.”

“What happened?” Isa asked.

“An accident. But he needs you.”

Isa moved backward and heard the sound of a door one tried to open but refused…

“He never needed us. He would never have accepted us without my father…”

“It’s closed, Isa…” Lea whispered.

Isa glanced to the door.

Lea let out a scream when he saw the body of his friend hit the wall. Suddenly, Xehanort was in front of them, energy coming out from his hands.

“You’re smart and right. Almost right. Your father never did anything to have you here. _I_ did. Dilan and Aeleus talked about you, once. Braig a few times. I knew I needed you.”

“Us?” Lea muttered.

Isa slid along the wall.

“You both have something I want.”

“What?” Isa asked.

He glanced to his friend who had already his green eyes gleaming from the tears filling it…

Lea sniffed.

“Yeah?! What… what do you want from us?!” Lea screamed.

Xehanort looked toward him and so Isa quickly moved to Ansem’s chair.

“You both hold power.”

“Power?” Lea replied, trying to stop his shivers. “What kind of power?”

“The kind any child could wish f…”

Xehanort froze.

Slowly, he turned toward Isa who threw the chair against his head. A smirk widened his lips.

“You’re bold. I like that.”

Isa shivered, not understanding how it was possible the man didn’t fall or anything. He was just there, still standing and their only chance to leave was to open a locked door?!

In the man’s hand, a strange weapon appeared and, around him, even stranger black fumaroles. He moved his hand, aiming for Lea who let out a scream of horror. Isa dashed to them, raising his hands to protect his dearest friend, expecting the pain to pierce him.

But the sound of metal echoed against the metal.

Xehanort’s eyes widened.

“A… You have…”

Lea’s hands closed in the back of Isa’s clothing.

“Don’t touch him…” he said with a threatening tone.

In his hand, the strange weapon was shivering. Quite afraid, it let it move by its own. The blade pointed out toward the door and a ray of light came out from it, forcing Xehanort to move back with a groan. Almost a hiss.

“The door,” Lea hiccupped, his hands still closed on the vest of his best friend.

“Quick!”

Isa pushed him toward the door. Lea dashed and went out. Isa followed him, closing the door after him. They passed through the corridors, running as fast as they could. When they arrived next to the stairs, Lea turned toward the steps.

“Wait, wait, wait.”

Isa grabbed Lea’s hand. His friend turned toward him.

“I don’t know what’s happening,” he said. “We can’t hide _here_. We will go outside and find a solution.”

“O… Okay…”

Lea was shivering, tears rolling on his cheeks. Isa bent to press a kiss on each of them, whipping out the tears with his lips.

“Com…”

Isa turned the head when he heard a sound and saw a big black shape. Xehanort come out of it, a smile on his lips. Dark steams spread from him as he grabbed Lea by his hairs, tugging him toward the Darkness. Isa threw the strange weapon on Xehanort and jumped to his friend, grabbing his hand, catching him by his clothes, wanting to snap it from the firm grip.

The man raised his strange weapon, forcing Isa to move his hand, begging whatever magic to let appear his own weapon. Weapon that appeared in his fingers.

“Isa!” Lea screamed. “Please!”

“I’m holding you!” Isa replied, his hand around the scarf.

Xehanort’s weapon hit him with strength, knocked him backward. Isa closed his hand as much as he could. He heard a scream, felt the violence of the impact when his head hit the floor, received a soft contact on his face.

“ISAAAAAAAAAA!!”

Isa pushed down the yellow fabric in front of his eyes, just to see Xehanort’s weapon falling toward him. He couldn’t move back, couldn’t dodge it.

And a powerful Light filled the room, spreading against the wall and making groan Xehanort.

“You…” he let out.

“Don’t touch the boy!”

“Very well… You can keep him!”

Isa’s mind was blurred but he saw Lea being dragged away from him. He gasped and jumped on his legs, stumbled but ran to the hand held toward him. His fingers brushed Lea’s fingers and the sound of Lea screaming his name echoed in the corridor. And his mind.

Then…

Everything went dark.

A soft feeling against his nose made Isa groan. He realized a soft fabric was against his face…

“Lea… move back,” he moaned.

Lea.

Lea!

“LEA?!”

Remembering the bad dream he just got, Isa just wanted to hug his best friend and…

And froze.

There was no Lea, just his scarf. And if the room was filled with Moons and Stars, which was in his taste, it wasn’t his room. It wasn’t any room he knew!

The door opened and he jumped on the side, grabbing the scarf and holding it to his Heart as if this could protect him.

In front of him, there were three bugs, one green, one blue and one red.

“Look at this! The honey is up.”

Suddenly the three bugs became three lady ladies and one of them, wearing red, bent toward him.

“Do you feel better?”

Isa didn’t reply, looking her.

“We’re the Three Good Fairies,” she said. “And we took care of you. You were wounded, Dear… You will have to take care.”

“Yes, next time, be more careful. We thought we will lose you,” the blue one said with an annoyed tone.

“Merryweather, please. The dear needs to rest.” The green one turned her head toward him. “Do you want to eat something?”

“Where is my friend?” Isa asked. “The ginger boy.”

The three Fairies looked each other. Isa got up, holding the scarf against his Heart.

“Where is he?! Where is Lea?”

“You lost a lot of blood, you should rest yourself!” the red Fairy said.

When she said that, flashes from the last moment came back to his mind. How he couldn’t grab Lea, how he had hit the floor… He remembered how everything was blurred and he started to wonder if it wasn’t because of the shock added to the blood running away.

He grabbed a lock of his hair, wishing them to be red.

As red as Lea’s…

“Where is he?” he asked. “Where is Lea? Where am I?”

“You’re in my Tower. I saved you but it was too late for your friend.”

“Too late…”

Isa felt his knees give up, as his Heart suddenly ached. Though he fell on the hard floor, his chest was the fireball igniting him. He tried to fight against the tears but it was already a lost battle… He pressed his face in the scarf, shivering and begging. Begging for Lea to be next to him, alive…

“Yen Sid!” the red Fairy said.

“I know well the man who has ravished your friend’s life…”

Isa looked up at him.

“I believe he wanted you. Because of the Keyblade and the power I feel within you…”

“What is that?” Isa whispered. “He said the same. He wanted Lea and me…” He looked down, squeezing the scarf. “What is a Keyblade? I thought this thing could save him…”

“Maybe it can.”

“You said he’s dead!” Isa protested.

Yen Sid walked toward him, his face very severe. Yet, Isa didn’t seem to be impressed.

“I thought he only wanted you. But if you’re right, then, there is a chance for you to see him again…”

Fauna brought her hands to her mouth, in shock.

“You don’t mean he’s a Nobody? Yen Sid, it’s not possible! And this will…”

“What is a Nobody?” Isa asked, trying to get up.

But he did not have enough strength yet, his body still dealing with the amount of information.

“It’s an empty shell. What stay from a powerful being when his Heart is relieved from their body. That’s everything staying. A body.”

“Lea… Lea had the most powerful Heart… I will find him. I will find him…” he swore to himself, feeling relieved.

“I can help you,” the man said. “But you will have to help me too…”

“How?”

Isa stared at him, teeth gritted.

“You received the gift of wielding a Keyblade. It’s a really rare gift. I only know one person able to wield it. And this person alone isn’t enough to protect the Light. I ask you to stay here and train with me. When you have grown your power, you will be able to fight against Xehanort.”

“And save Lea?”

Yen Sid nodded.

“I accept,” Isa replied.

“Very well. Rest yourself.”

Fauna came to Isa to help him to get up and to sit in the bed. Yen Sid turned around and left the room and walked toward his desk.

“Yen Sid! How dare you? The boy wants to find back his friend!”

“I know Flora. He will.”

“You said to him he will be able to save him.”

“In this case, giving him a decent death would be salvation.”

“Yen Sid…” Flora whispered.

Her anger was beyond everything but she couldn’t turn it against him. Merryweather would but not her. She knew it was for the greater good…

Standing and looking himself in a puddle created by rain, he was rubbing his cheeks. Again and again.

Yet, this didn’t work.

Each time he watched his reflection, he saw the two purple marks on his cheeks.

“What’s happening?”

He looked up to Braig… No, Xigbar, walking toward him.

The boy observed what was around him. The blood, the chaos… He even had his skin painted with scarlet…

“I want to cry… But I can’t…” he replied, rubbing his cheeks.

“Eh…” Xigbar approached him and lifted his chin. “Not surprised you can’t. Look at ya!” he laughed. “This…” He pressed his finger on one mark. “It’s a powerful magic. You will not cry anymore, Axel!”

A powerful magic?

Two marks where he received two kisses from the most important person for him?

He looked down to his hands covered with blood.

Did he want Isa to find him now?


	2. Crackling

In his office, sat on his chair, Yen Sid was sleeping. It has been a hard day. Training the young Isa wasn’t as easy as he thought. His Heart was powerful, his magic strong and his will stunning but he had been hurt by the recent events. He was still weak from the blood he had lost and the shock. Both mental and physic.

He tried but couldn’t.

It was the first day so Yen Sid wasn’t _that_ worry but he wasn’t sure, neither, he could deal with the child if he didn’t pull himself together…

“Fauna…”

Holding a bowl of soup in one hand, the other holding a wand, the Fairy in green turned her head toward the old man.

Old man that opened his eyes.

Was he even asleep or just resting himself? Sometimes, Merryweather doubted the Mage could even sleep at all.

“I’m doing nothing,” she said.

“Nothing with a bowl of soup.”

“Maybe I’m bringing it to the baby!”

“The baby? He’s not a child, Fauna. He’s a teenager and he is on training,” the old man remembered her, firm.

Fauna watched toward the room where they could hear the sound of sobs. There was a young child there, crying and suffering… How could she close her eyes? Maybe they couldn’t erase the pain and sorrow in his Heart but they could ease it as much as they can.

Just by little touch and act.

“Yen Sid, he lost everything. Give him this little time.”

“I’m saying it also for you, Fauna. I know it has been hard for you when Aurora returned to her home and find the fate awaiting her… Don’t think Isa is her.”

“He just needs a bit of care!” she replied with a soft smile. “May I?”

“Yes… But be cautious,” he said.

As the words spread, it was hard to know if he was talking for her, for Isa or for the best interest of the Light.

Thanks to magic, though she could have use her hand, Fauna opened the door and she entered in the room. As soon as she entered, she heard sniffed and, thanks to the beam of the stars, she could see Isa whipping out the tears from his cheeks. Moving her wand, she made appears a tiny flame over the candle next to the bed and approached it slowly. She put down the soup and smiled tenderly.

“Here, you should eat before go to bed. And maybe wash yourself.”

Isa didn’t feel any of them and he just tightened the yellow scarf against his Heart. The only thing he still could do was hiding his weakness…

“If there is anything I can do for you, ask, darling! If you need to talk about it? Ask a question?” she kindly insisted, offering him a hand.

“A question?” he repeated.

She nodded with hope.

A question… He had thousands questions! Why Lea had been ravished and not him? Why Lea hadn’t been saved by Yen Sid? Why Yen Sid came instead of letting him be with Lea forever? He didn’t care about having a Heart or not if it was with him! What was happening to Lea? Where was Lea? Where was them?! Why Yen Sid wanted to teach him? He had nothing in peculiar… Why that Keyblade came to him? Why he couldn’t summon it again. Yen Sid said it was linked to the strength of the Heart… so what? His Heart was too weak? His love for Lea was too weak? How his love for Lea could be too weak when all he always wanted was to protect him? Was it because he failed to protect him? Why did he fail in something so important? Lea… was he hating him right now? Was it bad to want to be dead? Was it bad to love your best friend in such a way that having him away from you was like someone was tearing you apart alive? Was it bad to have those feelings toward Lea? Was it bad to want to cry because Lea wasn’t next to him? Wasn’t it selfish? How could he become what Yen Sid expected from him if he was so corrupted by a wrong love? A love he shouldn’t have because nourished such feeling for his _best friend_ …? What if they failed? What if they could never save Lea? What if…

“No, I don’t have any question,” he replied to Fauna. “Thank you for the meal.”

“You’re welcome. Take strengths and if there is anything…”

Isa nodded.

The Fairy seemed a bit annoyed, powerless. She leaned in to press a kiss on his forehead.

“If eve you can’t sleep, tell it to me,” she whispered as a confidence.

She couldn’t use her Magic like that but… they all used their magic at bad end. It was tiny things, nothing that could actually hurt the equilibrium or anything but they shouldn’t do it. And use a spell to help to sleep wasn’t the best thing. If ever she weight it badly, she could be good to find the Soulmate of Isa, his True Love, and having them to kiss Isa to save the Light.

That would be annoying.

But she did was worry for the young teenager…

As she moved away from him, as she moved to the door, Isa hesitated to move his hand to her, to catch her up. But he couldn’t… How could he just rely on her like that? His fingers closed on the soft fabric of the scarf and he just let himself flop on the mattress. He should sleep but he couldn’t…

It was the first time since so long he’d sleep alone and it was digging in his Heart.

He couldn’t fall asleep.

He was so cold. He just wanted the embrace of Lea around him. He wanted to protect him at every cost. Everything he had, it was this… this scarf. And his eyes to cry. He rolled in the blankets but he only felt the warm when he nose-dived into the scarf. There, he felt the warm. There, he felt the love…

“I’m sorry, Lea… I’m so sorry. I’ll come for you. I’ll come… I’ll save you,” he swore. “I…”

He gulped.

Even to a scarf, he couldn’t tell the words on his Heart. He couldn’t tell what he should have told since so long…

Today, he was hating himself, he was hating the whole situation…

What could he do?

What could he do…?

The smell of the soup was around the room.

Obviously.

The bowl stayed there, perfuming the place and giving a feeling more suffocating than before…

If Isa didn’t notice it, since he was in the holed up here with the smell, Yen Sid was invaded at the moment he entered inside. He would have been happy to use magic to change this but instead, he walked toward the teenager and slid his hand over his shoulder.

The boy twitched, his fingers closing around the scarf.

“Isa?”

“Yes.”

“You should come, eat something, maybe wash yourself and then, we’ll train.”

“I’m not hungry,” Isa replied.

“If you’re not hungry, this change nothing. You can’t fight and take strength if you’re not doing this effort. If you’re not taking force, how do you want to fight against the Darkness and save your friend?”

A million of questions floated again in Isa’s mind.

Could he only?

He turned toward the man, still holding the precious scarf against his chest.

“Do you really think I’m able to do it? I can’t summon the Keyblade.”

“It will come, Isa. You told me you agreed to train with me,” he reminded.

“I know.” Isa sat in the bed and, pressing the scarf against his chest and holding out his hand, he watched his trembling fingers. “However… it doesn’t appear. I’m trying, Sir. I’m really trying… I can’t do it…”

There again, he had so many questions to ask. Too many.

“May I?” the old man asked.

Isa moved toward the pillow. He still hoped it was a dream. He would woke and Lea would be there…

“The Keyblade is linked to the Heart. The first time the Keyblade appears is often because of a strong emotion, because it’s the only thing that can save your or the one you love. It’s one of the purest emotion. Your Heart is your guiding Key. Finding this emotion again is difficult. But it will come. While you’re waiting for this moment to come, you can learn Magic?”

Isa wanted to ask ‘why me?’.

But he didn’t.

It seemed bad.

“I’ll prepare you clothes for the training. Fauna cooked you something for your breakfast. Try not to take too much time. You have a lot to learn.”

Yen Sid got up and walked toward the door. Door that opened then closed a few moments after. Isa moved his fingers, his hand still reaching out.

“Come…” he called. “Come…”

He needed to find back the emotion that swirled within him the first time his Keyblade appeared. He needed it to protect Lea… He needed to find him back.

“I want to save Lea… I l…”

Nothing.

Totally nothing…

He sighed and got up, still holding the scarf against his Heart. He couldn’t let it here. He was sure the Fairies wouldn’t steal it from him but for now, holding the scarf was like holding Lea’s life. As if he was certifying himself that he was somewhere…

Reachable.

“Isa! Please!”

The teenager just came out from the bathroom, wearing the outfit Yen Sid gave to him. It was weird for him because of those pants with such wide legs, with this thigh top… He still had the scarf in his arms. It was almost hard for him to move. He stumbled on this pants three times while coming here but he didn’t want to let them know this.

“Come, Isa. You’ve time for a breakfast! I prepared you omelet, toasts, sausages, hot cocoa, orange juice… Oh, I even have a bit of cake.”

Isa walked toward Fauna who installed the numerous plates on Yen Sid’s desk, pushing the fork to the teenager. Which was absolutely not hungry. But he had to force himself. First to be able to handle the training and then to be polite to the Fairy. She did a lot for him.

“Thank you, Fauna,” he said to her.

He took some eggs in his fork.

“What do you plan for me, Sir?”

“First… You can call me ‘Master’,” Yen Sid said. “I used to be a Master of the Keyblade.”

“I suppose I will have to fight against you when I will…”

“No. I lent my Keyblade to my other apprentice. You may meet him in the future.”

Isa was lost.

How could he train if the man had no Keyblade? If he had no Keyblade… He clenched his fingers around the fork. How could he only protect Lea if he was nowhere…

“What do we do?” he asked.

“Eat, Isa,” Fauna said softly.

The teenager glanced at her then his food, forcing himself to swallow a bit.

“You’ll train with a fake wooden Keyblade. You’ll learn your style for the moment that will come. Soon, Isa.”

Isa gulped at this ‘soon’. In his Heart, it didn’t look like hope or promise but rather a threat… If he couldn’t manage to have his Keyblade soon…

“You’ll learn to use correctly the magic too. Don’t be too eager, Isa.”

Isa looked down.

Why wouldn’t he? He didn’t care about the Stars menacing to shut down and the need to become a weapon of the Light. He wanted to know why he couldn’t do what Yen Sid expected from him. He always had complied to this when he was younger and now that it was important for him…

Maybe…

 _He_ was the problem?

Days passed, all looking alike. Isa did his best but his best wasn’t enough. Training with a Keyblade in wood seemed to be a good option but something always looked wrong to him. Useless. As for the magic, he couldn’t focus.

Merryweather told him he could probably do better if he slept but it wasn’t that easy.

Even exhausted, when he fell asleep, Nightmares woke him up and he cried even more, holding more tightly the scarf against his Heart.

Hence why he almost never fell asleep, hence why he just curled in his bed, letting the Darkness spread over his Heart, slowly but surely…


	3. Heartwarming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!!  
> Even if my chapter is in 'graphic violence depicted' session while writing it, I had a scene I found that could be pretty hard and I decided I won't force anyone to see it so I put the whole chapter in a google-doc and this one is the lighter version  
> Here is the link if you want to read everything!!!
> 
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l1T4Lc9upRSQfLhK_JerT66E7XTEC2ieajDRdYe_iSk/edit?usp=sharing

When he was younger, when he was Human, Lea was used to fear to sleep because things weren’t as easy as everybody thought. Sleeping was hard and you better had to sleep only with one eye… Unless you could throw yourself in soft arms that would protect you.

Here… Here, it was worst.

Every Night, Axel felt like he’d cry but he couldn’t. Sometimes, he rolled in his bed and, his arms around his knees, he waited. Often, he fell asleep because he was too exhausted but, once again, this sleep wasn’t restful. Was it a good thing? Not really.

What he wanted at this moment, was being in the only arms he wanted around him. He wanted to forget. He wanted… He wanted everything but that.

He still could see Isa when he tried to grab him. When their fingers were almost touching each other. When they could be together?

And at this moment…

At this moment, they could have been together. In a place or the other. But then, everything had shattered around him.

He watched his hands, his fingers shaking against his knees as he was sat just in the corner. They could have grabbed Isa but they were just covered with blood. Not at this exact moment but…

The door of his room opened suddenly, making jump and… protect himself with his arms.

He heard a sigh.

“That’s not how you’ll protect yourself, ya know?”

Looked through the space between his arms, Axel stared at Xigbar, his arms folded as he smirked in the entrance of the room.

“You’re an assassin, kiddo. Next time, try to throw those chakrams in my head instead?” he offered.

“And if I don’t wanna?”

“What do ya wanna do, then? Crying like a child? Come on! Grow some balls, you killed already three people! You can’t step back!”

“I didn’t wanna!” Axel screamed back.

“What do ya wanna, then?”

“I… I wanna Isa,” he whispered.

Xigbar walked toward him and crouched in front of him.

“We, too, want your friend. He’s powerful and he can field a Keyblade. We’d be fucking happy to have him with u…”

Xigbar stopped talking, a smile on his lips, as he felt something sharp against his throat. Warm was licking softly his cheeks, brushing the eyepatch’s string.

Axel was looking him with his green eyes turning slowly gold and in his hand… one of his chakrams holding out, the peak almost pressed against the throat of the man in front of him.

“I see. When it comes to your little friend, you’re becoming wild.” Xigbar took his wrist and snatched down the chakram, moving it, moving the sharp peak on another spot of his throat. “If you want to kill someone in a blow, that’s here. Hit here!”

“I could kill you.”

“You wouldn’t. As long as I don’t touch your tiny friend, you wouldn’t. Right?” he smirked.

“Don’t touch him.”

“I won’t!” Xigbar got up and glared at him, still smirking. “But, if I were you, I wouldn’t wait too much for him. The dude with him is extra skilled. You bet he could came here and have ya back. If your little friend _wanted_ it. But you’re here, Axel. It’d been ten days.”

“He… He will come. He will come!” Axel protested.

Xigbar grabbed him by the hood of his coat and he opened a corridor of Darkness.

“Maybe he will come but now, he’s not there and so, come with me, you’ve work to do!”

“Do you mean…?” Axel gulped.

“Yep.”

Xigbar pushed him in the corridor of Darkness, still wearing a smirk on his lips.

Axel tried to move back from him but it was too late. He was forced to cross the corridor and arrived in a big place with a lot of people. He turned his head toward Xigbar and shook his head.

“Not all of them?”

“Don’t worry,” he replied, bending toward him. “Not all of them.”

Xigbar pated his cheek then moved away through the alley. Axel was panicked, seeing the children around and their parents next to them in the most of case. Some were away and it seemed to be a dangerous plan because those kids were so excited about every toys they could see there.

Himself, he never saw that amount of toys. Even in Isa’s toys room…

As he walked after Xigbar, he heard laugh and excitation. He could see children take boxes or put them down. Often when their parents said so. He could see them pressing against each other not to miss to see the toys they wanted. Tiny hands were fighting with furor to get their precious Holy Grail.

“Axel?” Xigbar called.

The redhead watched toward the man and he shivered when he realized he could have been his son. In theory, no one would find it weird to see him follow Xigbar in alleys filled with toys. No one to save him. And if he tried to run away…

But run away toward what?

He didn’t know where Isa was.

Was it true he didn’t want to find him? Isa never said to him he liked him. And Even often said to him he was just annoying… what if Isa was happy to have him away from him? Isa was the best… so… how could he have missed his hand? He wanted to state ‘he loves me’ to his conscience but he saw each times were he imposed himself to his friend… When he sneaked in his bed, when he cried in his arms, when he begged him until he let him gaze on his homework with Ansem. A few time, Isa told him to stop annoying him…

Lea moved his hands.

_You’re obnoxious._

You’re obnoxious. How many time he did told it to him?

“He… He loves me… He cares for me… He likes me… He… He will come… He will come… He will come!”

“Axel!”

Xigbar walked toward him.

Axel scratched his cheeks, begging to cry. Begging to cry every tear his body wanted to spat. Begging to cry because if he cried… if he cried, Isa will be there. Isa always found him when he was crying. That was the proof he loved him. Right? Isa loved him. Isa loved him!

“Ax…”

Xigbar just smirked when he saw the fire coming from him.

He grabbed him by the shoulder and Darkness swallowed them.

A scream echoed in the Tower of Yen Sid.

Immediately, Fauna dashed to the door. Yen Sid didn’t have the time to calm her down that she already had swirled inside the room. However, to be fair, this time, the mage got up too and followed the Fairy.

As they arrived in the room, they could see Isa crying, holding tightly the yellow scarf, almost turned into a shapeless ball since he carried it too much with him. He was crying and it was only red tears…

As he saw blood dropping along the child’s cheeks, Yen Sid took his chin in his hands, leaning on him.

What was that?

“Isa, what happened?” he asked.

“I… I just had a Nightmare…”

Fauna moved to Isa, caressing his hairs tenderly, whispering soft words. Isa was still shivering. He had only slept ten minutes maybe but it was just unbearable. He gulped and tried to gather himself. Did he have to describe that?

“I… I saw Lea… He was with Braig and… he killed people… Fire was coming from him and he killed three people. One of them was suffering and he ended their lives. He was… he was mad… and his eyes… his eyes were yellow… How… How could he…” Isa held his head in his hands, shaking. His fingers almost touched Fauna’s and she caressed his hairs more tenderly. “Why such a Nightmare? Again…”

“Again?” Yen Sid asked.

“The first day… I did a Nightmare like that… Lea was killing. But… but he can’t kill. Not Lea. Lea is…”

Yen Sid sat next to him.

“Do you have another dreams like that?” he asked. “Focus, please,” he pressed on.

It was hard for Isa because his head was so heavy right now… He was still in sweat with the power of this Nightmare and he shivered. Fauna took the blankets to wrap it around the shaking shoulders.

“You should have something to eat,” she said.

He hadn’t eaten much anyway. All he could do was working. Again and again. He had impressive dark circles under his eyes, he was so pale. If he could sleep, this would be easier but he couldn’t, his mind being full of those Nightmares, this fear, this tears…

“Yes… Not… Not as hard, but I had some. I saw…” Isa couldn’t describe it. “Horrible things. A lot looked like those Heartless you showed me…” he said. “And strange white creatures. I saw again and again the moment I lost Lea. I saw him disappear. I…”

He struggled to explain him.

Breathing seemed to be hard at this exact moment.

He brought his knees against him and hugged a bit more the scarf against his Heart.

Fauna had left the place and you could hear that she was preparing the soup, the soft perfume already moving away.

“Rest yourself, Isa,” Yen Sid said. “Try to allow you a nap.”

Isa opened his lips to protest but he was so weak, honestly… so, he just lied, his head against his pillow, hugging the yellow fabric.

Outside of the room, Yen Sid walked toward Fauna who was preparing the broth. He called Flora and Merryweather, the two of them arriving pretty quickly. They were trained to reply to his call and they have huge power. And… Aurora didn’t need them so what could they do? She was so happy with Philip…

At this moment, as he was sitting in his chair, Yen Sid wondered if he shouldn’t call his hold friend Merlin. And maybe Mickey? It was quite delicate now. He could feel the Darkness grew within the boy’s Heart. And he was becoming weaker and weaker. And so, he understood the feelings and emotions were harder to deal with. Especially in such conditions.

“Times are peculiars. Worrying,” he said. “What happens with Isa is strange.”

“It’s just Nightmares, Yen Sid,” Fauna said, stirring the soup.

“It is possible. But, on the other hand, it’s also really possible it’s something else. What if it’s really something? I wouldn’t be surprised if Xehanort used the boy to make him to the dirty job. And what Isa had seen… his eyes had something special. It didn’t look like just a Nightmare. Like Dreams only…”

“And what do you want us to do?” Merryweather asked.

“Whatever it is, the angel needs to rest,” Fauna said. “He can’t stay that way.”

“Darkness is spreading within his Heart because he’s too upset. Sorrow must leave him before we’re losing him,” Yen Sid stated.

Flora looked down at those words. It was pretty rare to see a Heart disappear into Darkness just because of Sorrow and Mental Pain. But it happened. And it was maybe the worst…

“He needs to sleep,” Fauna said. “If you let us do.”

“No. There is a magic within him and I’m starting to believe if you ever fail your spell, we will never wake him up.” Yen Sid got up and went to the window, walking the Stars. “However… an old legend, measurably older than me, they were talking about protectors of the Wielders. Something extremely rare nowadays but common at this moment…”

“What is it, Yen Sid?” Merryweather pressed. “We’re enough of your mysteries!!”

He nodded slightly. “Dream Eaters,” he said.

“Dream Eaters? But… It’s difficult to create them in our World!” Flora replied, her hand in front of her mouth. “Do you think _you_ can?”

“If Isa could have come in this Realm and be linked to one Dream Eater, it wouldn’t be hard,” Fauna pointed out. “In this case, we’ll need a lot of magic.”

“I will ask for Merlin to come help us. He is in possession of a peculiar magic, linking to Worlds only a few of us can cross.”

“We will try,” Flora said. “You can trust us!”

In the bathroom, Isa was trying to wash the blood from his cheeks. He could see the dark circles, his pale skin, his hollow cheeks.

He knew what was happening.

He was dying.

Slowly.

And he wasn’t surprised.

One time, he had to see one book where one character let themselves perish. They had lost their loved one, their reason to live…

He was like that.

A part of himself tried to kick him, reminding him that, if he died, he could never save Lea. But the other was dying for him. Without Lea, he couldn’t continue. His Heart was empty, his mind sucked to the void and he couldn’t sleep.

He shivered when he remembered the dream from earlier.

The Nightmare.

It was only that. A Nightmare.

It couldn’t be something else… How could someone like Lea do something… like that?

He reminded clearly every gesture and sometimes had the feeling _he_ was the one doing that. He remembered the feelings, the emotions vibrating within him and yet that didn’t seem to reach Lea. That couldn’t be Lea.

The only thing that looked a bit like his best friend, the one he loved, was when he saw him take a toy.

But this was ridicule.

So ridicule.

Isa pressed his face in his hands. He needed to push away all of this. He needed a shower and to calm himself. Maybe he could find a way to summon his Keyblade if he washed himself. He couldn’t sleep but he could do that…

He undressed and slid in the huge wooden demi-barrel, using an archaic, yet efficient, mechanism to make water flew on him.

At the second droplets hit his skin, more Darkness rolled over him. He could almost see Lea sneak in with him. He could hear his laugh. He moved his hand, trying to touch the cheek sparkled with freckles. But there was only void.

His knees gave up.

He fell on the wooden bottom, hugging himself tightly. Tears were rolling over his cheeks but no one could see it.

He begged someone that couldn’t hear him. He begged everyone to give him back Lea. His only Sun, his only Light…

His dearest Sunlight…

If ever he got the courage to call him like that. Just one time. To brush his cheek and to press a slight kiss on his lips. To lay his forehead against him. To mutter all the feelings he had on his Heart.

If only…

But this laugh, this feeling, it was just his mind giving up and Darkness rolling around his Heart, licking it. Stealing it.

Could it be the solution?

If he lost his Heart… could he be with Lea?

Yen Sid’s guests had arrived. Both. First the other old man, with his Owl and a bag full of useful stuff… and especially useless. And, twenty minutes later, as the first one was serving the tea with the Fairies, as Fauna kept the soup hot, the second arrived.

A Mouse.

Yen Sid greeting this one before going to the other room.

He expected to see Isa rolled in his bed but he wasn’t there. He turned toward Fauna.

“Where is Isa?” he asked.

“I think he said he’ll take a shower?” Flora replied.

Yen Sid walked to the bathroom and heard the sound of the water falling. He knocked at the door.

“Isa?”

“Yen Sid…” the Mouse said. “I can feel Darkness coming from there.”

“Yes, the boy…”

Yen Sid stopped. He was so used to feel Darkness around Isa, so eager to protect him, he realized how much Darkness there was.

“ISA!”

He stormed in the bathroom and found the teenager in the barrel almost filled with water. Cold water. And him curled up there.

He took out his large robe and walked to him to retrieve him in the water, rolling him in the soft fabric and bringing him in the bed.

“We have no more time to lose,” he said. “If we do nothing, his Heart will be corrupted forever. We can’t lose him.”

They all approached him without waiting any more time.

Their magic merged all together as Isa was slightly losing his grasp in the reality. Second after second, there was less and less Light.

“Isa… Hold on, Isa!”

Isa had his eyes closed. Yet, a huge burst of Light forced him to open his eyes. He blinked in front of it and his fingers twitched.

This Light, as bright as the Sun… Lea…

Lea?

Lea.

He was bathed by this Light, so bright.

“Isa?”

Isa could hear the sound of Lea’s voice. It was reverberating in his brain, shaking him to the core.

“Isa… Hold on. Stay with me.”

Isa’s hand held out and when his fingers brushed something, something soft and somewhat, it felt like him.

“My Sunshine…”

“He’s asleep!!” Fauna let out with relieve. “He’s really asleep!!”

The teenager was holding a round and oval, at once, creature in his arms. The said creature was blue with a bright yellow-orangish sun around the tail and a grey crescent Moon on the side. Their magic swirled around Isa, destroying the Nightmare, Lightning him…

In his bed, Axel couldn’t sleep.

But he was laying in the mattress, in the blankets because it seemed warm, at least. And against his no more existent Heart, he was holding his new toy, the one Xigbar let him have because he was just doing what they expect him to do, because he was sinking in the Darkness as they expected him to.

The beautiful Amber Angelic doll…


	4. Home Sparkle

A soft feeling was surrounding Isa as he woke up.

He had the sensation he hadn’t correctly sleep since so long…

He didn’t know how many times he had slept and why, suddenly, everything seemed so bright? Peaceful…

At this moment, he kind of had the feeling that everything was a bad dream. He could feel the warm and the Light of a Sun. Nightmare had flown away. Now, it will be alright… he moved his fingers, caressing the fluff. Lea’s hair?

He heard a tiny sound. A mix of a bark and a meow?

He felt something humid against his face and felt more Light in his Heart. That Light he thought coming from Lea?

What…

What was that?

What was this thing?

He realized he was still in Yen Sid’s place. This wasn’t a Nightmare. He should get used to this. Accept his sad fate…

But that…

Once again. What was that?

“Master Yen Sid?” he called.

Only few seconds after, only, the door opened on not Yen Sid but the three Fairies.

“Isa!”

“Fauna, Flora, Merryweather… What is that?”

The thing seemed to be friendly, not bigger than a young cat, installed on his lap and licking his hands.

“It’s a Meow Wow! A Dream Eater! She will protect you! Protect your Heart, your Light,” Flora explained.

“She will feed on your Nightmare and make sure you only Dream,” Merryweather added.

“You will feel better soon,” Fauna smiled.

Isa looked to the entry of the room because Yen Sid was there, next to the frame. Then, he turned his head to the three Fairies, looking more toward Fauna than the others.

“I’d be glad to eat something. If I may help…”

“No, no. Please, prepare yourself and come in the office,” Fauna said.

“People are waiting. They want to meet you.”

Isa watched the Meow Wow, didn’t dare to touch it. Touch her.

“Come, Darling,” Fauna invited.

She just finished those words that she swirled around and went in the main room. You could hear her mumbling things about this Tower being too small and she wasn’t wrong at all.

Isa put the Meow Wow on the bed to get up but Flora put her hands on his shoulders, making twitch.

“You should get yourself ready, first.” She leaned on him. “I’m afraid you’re still naked.”

Isa realized now that he was rolled in Yen Sid big robe and he blushed like never.

“O… Oh… I will. Thank you.”

She kissed softly his forehead then left the room. Few moments after, he was all alone with the Meow Wow who was happily meowing or… squeaking.

Isa let got a little sigh, trying to get himself together. He had the unpleasant feeling everything was splitting from his hands but he will success.

His fingers caressed the scarf next to his pillow.

“Hold on, Lea…” he muttered.

As soon as the door, opened, the Mouse turned from the window, stopping to watch the Stars vanishing one after the other, slowly but surely, and watched the teenager walking in. Moving the hand toward him, the Majesty invited this young boy to walk toward him.

“Greetings,” Isa said.

He noticed Fauna gesturing toward the bowl of broth and he knew he better had to move toward it soon. He was sure Merryweather was ready to plunge his face in the soup so, for once, he’d eat.

“I’m very pleasant to meet you, Isa,” the Mouse replied.

“You are Master Yen Sid’s other apprentice, isn’t it?”

“I’m his Spouse.”

Isa turned his head toward the old man. “You have married your apprentice?! Is it legal?”

The Mouse laughed. “No! I’m Minnie Mouse, Mickey’s Spouse. And Mickey is Yen Sid’s apprentice. He is travelling the Worlds so I came.”

“She’s a Queen,” Flora whispered at Isa’s ear.

The teenager bowed in front of her. Minnie let out a laugh and took softly his hand.

“Please, no. You don’t need to bow, I’m just someone. And go eat,” she invited.

Isa nodded and walked toward the table, the Meow Wow bouncing after him. He sat and started to eat without real appetite but, next to him, Fauna was smiling.

“And here is Merlin,” Yen Sid said, moving his hand toward the other old man.

Which bowed the head and smiled to him. Isa replied with politeness.

“Which annoy me is that we’re all magicians,” Merryweather said with a pout.

“It is true. The child doesn’t mean that amount of Magicians helping him through his training,” Flora replied, frowning.

“Indeed,” Yen Sid replied. “But this isn’t a problem. Mickey could teach him how to fight. Or your Guard,” he offered to Minnie.

Isa didn’t react, just eating in silence.

If Fauna planned to protest, at first, it wasn’t correct to act as if the teenager wasn’t there, she noticed something special in this behavior. As if he was really used to this… Used to have to disappear and let the adults talking around him. At this moment, she reminded herself how little they knew about him. Until now, they knew two things about him: he was hard-worker and he loved Lea beyond reality.

It was all.

Perhaps she should ask them to talk somewhere else anyway?

She opened her lips but closed them just after. She just installed herself next to him, leaning on him.

“If you need anything, just tell it to me, Darling.”

He nodded and bowed slightly toward her, not wanting to annoy the others.

“Everything is fine. Thank you very much.”

“About your Dream Eater… I hope you will get friends with her really soon!”

Isa looked down toward the strange dog that raised on two paws.

Fauna made appear strange food that looked like extremely big confetti.

“You can give that to her,” she said.

“That?” he asked in a whisper.

She nodded.

Isa took it and held out his hand to the Meow Wow who immediately ate it, licking his hand at the same time. The creature squeaked and moved her tail with another tiny sound.

“You never took care of pet?” she asked, seeing him… perturbed.

He shook his head.

“Never.”

“I’ll help you! You will be able to create a great bond with her and she’ll protect you even more.”

Isa nodded though still slightly perturbed.

Having to take care of a life?

It was special for him…

“If this can help you, I think she replies to ‘Sunlight’.”

“Excuse me?” the teenager asked, shivering a little.

“When you were asleep, you kept calling her Sunlight and she started to react.” As she noticed the look on his face, she smiled slowly. “Maybe it wasn’t for her but… she thought otherwise?”

“Probably…”

Isa caressed the strange creature with a shaking hand because she still was licking his skin.

He didn’t want to explain himself.

He had still so many things he wanted to keep for him. It was just two weeks, maybe less, since he was there. He had no reason to deliver all his secrets to them. It asked him so many time to do it with Lea. And yet, still today he didn’t know everything.

Lea will never know it…

He took few spoon of liquid and then looked toward Yen Sid, still stalking with the others. He waited, finishing his bowl, before the old Master finally brought back his attention to him.

“You will pursue your training with…”

“Can I pursue it here?” he asked.

Yen Sid frowned.

Isa looked down. He wasn’t the kind to talk back. He wanted, he had so many nerves without his guts, so many things he wanted to say and yet, when his parents said something to him… but he never talked back to the authority. Maybe… Maybe the fact he had been polite could erase this?

“Why would you want to stay here?”

“I don’t need to be in a big place,” he said. “Unless I’m bothering you by staying here.”

“You’re not bothering!” Fauna protested.

She smiled slightly. Then looked up at Yen Sid. The old man frowned then showed a slight smile too. He was strict but not mean. Fauna cared a lot for the child and she will be happy to have him around. If Isa had the same thought, he had really well chosen him to ask him wielding a Keyblade.

Even if he had no Keyblade at this moment…

“If you’re sure of yourself, we’ll be glad to have you with us. However, you will have to train sometimes with the Guard of Minnie.”

“And myself,” she smiled. “We can pick you when needed but my Husband worked, with two friends of mine, on Gummi material. Those ships allow you to pass through the Darkness and to visit the Worlds,” she explained.

Isa nodded.

“If you’re skilled enough, you may receive an armor that will help you to navigate more easily. But only when your training will be more completed, Isa.”

The teenager nodded. This was again a big amount of information to deal with but he was used to this. He was ready to learn all of this, ready to have to go in Minnie’s Castle sometimes for more teaching. He still had one idea in mind.

One goal.

And he was ready for it.

“I have a surprise for you, though, if the kid stays here,” Merlin said.

“What kind of surprise?” Merryweather asked, suspicious.

Merlin rolled up his huge sleeves, that slid down just after, and he opened his back. He started to say a magic spell and bricks flew out of the bag, spreading in the little room. It dashed to the windows, making it crack and shatter on the floor.

“I’ll… repair that,” he said. “Hm, hm!” he added, clearing his throat.

And the bricks started to fly around again. Yen Sid slid Minnie behing him and Merryweather turned as a little form to hide herself under the table. Sunlight, the Meow Wow, bounced on the floor, running around. Isa bit his lower lip. Should he retrieve her?

The bricks were still flying around, faster at each second and you could hear the sound they made when they were stacking each other.

It continued for five or six minutes, maybe slightly more, then the window reconstructed itself and Merlin showed a proud look.

“So! Impressed?” he smiled.

Silence.

A squeak.

“Very impressed,” replied Fauna.

“But it was dangerous,” Flora sighed.

“What was it?” Minnie approached the Moon window and looked through it. “Oh! It’s for Isa?”

“Yes!”

Merlin approached Isa and grabbed his wrist. Instead of leading him to the window, it was toward the door and through the long stairs. So long stairs, Yen Sid didn’t hesitate to ask him to train or warm up in there, climbing them up and down.

As he was forcing him to walk down, Merlin keep repeating ‘come, come’. As if this will actually help Isa…

They were almost in the ground floor when a squeak sound appeared and a cloud with sparkle followed it. Sunlight fall from the high and rolled on the floor. Isa’s eyes widened and he was forced to continue to walk, passing next the Meow Wow and… quite perplexed none reacted to the big cat-dog appearing like that.

He heard a sound behind him and glanced over his shoulder to see Fauna flying after them. He was brought outside, on this so little parcel of earth, and then around the tower.

Isa thought he should ask what was going on… and yet, he let them make him move through the tiniest World, according to Yen Sid himself. But even if he decided himself to just ask, no matter if it was rude… something caught his interest.

At the abutment of the tower, there was a new little tower, perfectly fitting with the general architecture of the crooked building.

“I hope this follow your taste. You can settle it as you want, of course.”

The mage opened the door and Sunlight bounced inside before Isa.

The room was empty but he could see a mezzanine and there was a door half-open, showing a bathroom.

Having his own place, with a window and a door giving on the exterior, was extremely joyful. If he was moved, he didn’t show it. Maybe it was an error. Maybe he should show how much he appreciated that?

But his own emotions were mysteries for him. Especially lately…

Isa turned toward him, anyway.

“Thank you,” he simply replied.

“That’s a pleasure, Isa! I’ll see if I can found a bed for you. Or I’ll create it anyway,” he said, happily.

The teenager nodded. “Thank you again.”

Merlin turned around and walked toward the main tower so he could retrieve his bag and help to create a real pleasant nest for the young apprentice.

“With all of this, it’s sure you will be really skilled!” Fauna said.

“Thank you,” he replied to her, once again.

“You don’t need to thank us like that. We’re happy to have you with us. And it’s really nice you can have intimacy.”

Isa smiled slightly.

“Merlin can be a danger so I’ll stay with you! I keep an eye on you and if you need a bit more of magic to install yourself?” she offered with a wink.

“Sure,” Isa replied.

He forced a smile to shave more affection to the lady who did so much for him…


	5. Times flying in Fumaroles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a special chapter, slower and created mostly with a few short stories to show how the time passes. I never write short so I hope this won’t look too weird.

Every day, Isa came outside on the tiny parcel and trained with Sunlight. When he was learning to wield this, fake, Keyblade, the creature showed ability, always healing him and using her horn, or her butt, to attack the training dummies. With time, they were learning together to attack and to defend…

At first, it was really hard for him to adapt to this presence, and to the name she replied to but, in the end… it was pretty neat. She was able to appear from nowhere and she would never hesitate to throw her head into the enemies to protect him. And they were only fighting against fake enemies.

Well… they were created and animated by Yen Sid, and the Fairies or even Merlin so, yes it wasn’t like hitting inanimate dolls but still, none of them would actually want to kill him.

He hoped so, at least.

“Isa, Isa, Isa!!!”

The teenager just arrived in the World and he was welcomed by two chipmunks that threw themselves on him.

Sunlight squeaked when she saw the two rodents on his shoulders. She wasn’t jealous. But happy!!

“It’s a pleasure to see you, Isa,” Minnie smiled, welcoming him.

“It’s always a pleasure for me too, Queen Minnie.”

“Please, Isa. Call me by my name,” she invited with a smile.

Isa nodded. She was telling it every time to him and yet, he kept calling her Queen Minnie. She did was a Queen! And he was… just a wielder.

“Let talk a little around some tea and then we’ll train a little more your Magic?” she offered.

“With a great pleasure,” he replied, bowing a little.

And Minnie couldn’t help smile.

Nights were hard.

Each Night, when he slid in his bed, Isa felt alone. So alone…

And also afraid to have Nightmare. Afraid to not be able to push back the horror he had seen when the one so awful had seized him.

But every Night, Sunlight was sliding in his bed, and rolling in the warm of his arms, eating his bad dreams, protecting him.

Every day, he woke up and saw her. She often licked his face as a ‘hello’ and, if he hated that at first, he slowly got used to it. He did his best, with Fauna’s help, mostly, to feed her and to find the perfect way to take care of her. Whatever it was for snuggle, washing her, the training… She deserved that after everything she did for him!

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

The blankets were wet.

So wet…

He couldn’t cry but his body could sweat and the horror he was forced to do was swirling around him, within him.

Axel, shivering, rolled in the bed and took the precious doll against his chest. It was the only thing he still had…

The only thing reminding him Isa… It was two months ago the last time he saw him and… he missed him so much.

Where was he?

Did Isa search him?

He searched him each time he had the occasion… but it was pretty rare, to be fair. Xigbar never let him alone.

Xemnas expected something from him…

According to Merlin, the best way to train the magic was to practice a lot; according to Yen Sid, it asked a lot of meditation; according to Minnie, it asked a lot of Heart; and, according to the Fairies, he just asked strength and spell.

All of this make the things more difficult because Isa had to find his own way and… it wasn’t that easy.

Especially when this changed all the time.

Each time someone tried to help him, it was only confusing him more.

He tried his best, obviously.

But this was creating a maze of incomprehension in his mind…

He just had to find his way.

He just had to find what was helping him the most. He mixed, tried… ending lying on the floor, not able to summon his Keyblade or do any Magic…

Eventually, he would end with a Meow Wow lying on his back or tummy…

Pushing back lock to clip them, thanks to the clips hair Fauna gave him, Isa could see correctly the pages of the books he was looking. Studying.

He was on his mezzanine, which he had turned into a library, having just one desk with a chair and the remaining was only book of shelves. Mostly provided by Minnie and Merlin.

There was almost none novels here. Just information about the Worlds, History, Geography and so many other things that allowed him to study and become a good wielder.

When the time will come…

“Isa? My Darling?! Can you help me?”

Isa was training, doing push up in his room, Sunlight on his back, when he heard Fauna calling him. He let the Meow Wow slid along his back and got up, sweat rolling along the muscles slowly forming.

“I’m coming!”

Isa walked outside of his tiny tower and quickly crossed the yard so he could join the kitchen in the principal town. The magic here allowed the adults to quickly call the other from everywhere.

Entering the main room, Isa said ‘hello’ to the old mage, working and reading a book, a long feather next to a feather and the candle on the skull almost melt.

“Minnie wishes to see you soon. Go see her when you’ll be done.”

“Yes, Master,” Isa replied.

He opened the door and took the stair to take the stair meaning to the kitchen in the other tower.

He arrived in the room.

“Yes, Fauna?”

“Help me doing the food, please, Honey.”

“Sure!”

Isa closed the door just after Sunlight entering and then, he came next to the working table. She was preparing mashed potatoes with chicken and spinach, using a sweet cream to ease the taste.

It happened often he will help her, especially for cooking the food. The two other Fairies required his help too, of course. But less often. Between the training, very various, and the study he was doing because Yen Sid didn’t want him to lose mental skills, he didn’t have much time for hobbies. And so, they let him be with Fauna for sweet chores. She was really attached to him…

“Behind you!”

Isa swirled and cut the head of an animated dummy.

He heard a squeak and knelt down. Sunlight jumped on his shoulder and threw her horn in another dummy. She disappeared suddenly and her friend and master got up, throwing his feet in the fake belly on another fake enemy.

“Focus, Isa!”

“Something is off!”

“Isa?!” Yen Sid groaned.

Breathing harshly, Isa looked down. “My apologizes,” he said, realizing his tone was really harsh.

“What is wrong?”

“Still this feeling. That fake Keyblade doesn’t fit me.”

“It’s the only thing we can do,” Yen Sid replied.

Isa nodded with a growl.

He couldn’t summon his Keyblade. What could he do except that? Training, training, training… and nothing that seemed to work.

Not in a Keyblade point at least…

The Heat coming from him wasn’t normal, Axel could tell him.

He guessed his body was suffering from all this pressure he put over himself. He guessed his body was just trying to push out everything it could.

When he was still Human, he would have believed he was sick. But they said he couldn’t be sick. He was just a Nobody. Something climbing to his memories.

And yet…

He was exhausted.

He didn’t want to continue…

Axel decided to just nap. Nap until they need him. Nap to let the time vanish. What could he do but that?

He closed his eyes and a remnant image danced in front of his eyes.

With a sigh, pain shaking his body, he let out the name slid from his lips:

“Isa…”

“Lea…”

Isa wanted to train more, still trying to catch that memories, that someone he loved more than anything, but Fauna didn’t want to.

He was sick.

Unbelievably sick because he had trained too much in the cold air. Without taking care.

Now, she was the one taking care of him. She was next to him, changing the wet fabric on his forehead and giving him a sad look, worrying.

It’s been so long since she had to take care of someone being sick. And Isa was incredibly hot. Without the slightest explanation. Even him said it was pretty rare…

But she will take care of him anyway!

She refused to let him alone!

It was hard to breath. Extremely hard and, to be fair, he didn’t even know how he could do it.

On the mid of the Night, as he couldn’t sleep, Isa came outside and, with the Moon calmly and tenderly caressing his face, the Magic suddenly came out from him, from his Heart itself. A really clear Light flying now among the Stars.

Isa couldn’t help laughing. Laughing on stress and nervousness because he didn’t even know how he did that.

How was it possible?

Was it even something he could do once again?

At least, he could train all night long.

He wasn’t sleepy at all.

Whatever he was doing, no matter how much he was trying, his hand always ended up empty. So empty…

Not only he couldn’t reach for Lea but he couldn’t even summon his Keyblade…

He tried.

All the time.

Every day.

Of every week.

Since five months.

He started to think the first time, the only time, it was only chance. It wasn’t for him. Maybe it was for Lea? And his hand had intercepted the Keyblade and he failed to protect the one truly mattered for him…

When he looked the only Keyblade he could have, the wooden one, he often thought about Ventus… They only met him a few moments but he remembered that about him.

Maybe Ventus should have been there…

He also remembered other person from his past. That girl under the Castle too. Where was she?

Why was he alone?

Six months.

Six months…

Isa sat on the bed after a shower, his hairs dripping on the towel around his shoulders. Sunlight was sleeping in the tiny basket filled with red blanket and with few toys around. She was always taking care of him while he was asleep and sometimes, she needed to go sleep too…

Six months…

Isa got used to this.

But not to be without Lea. That pain was stretching, becoming more excruciating at each day…

He caressed the soft fabric of the scarf. Which was his pillowcase for now. At least, he fell asleep with Lea’s perfume.

Well, since time, he was sure it hadn’t Lea actual perfume but… his Mind was still sure it was…

“I don’t have forgotten you, Lea. I’ll be here for you,” he swore.

“It’s done…”

Axel crossed his arms and looked up at Xemnas who was looking him from his throne. He had that look, that smile…

Axel hated it.

He was his toy since so long now.

Since one half-year…

He hated him.

He hated him so much…

“I can always count on you. It’s a pleasure,” the boss said.

“Only for you.”

Droplets of scarlet liquid was spread over him and the black coat couldn’t hide the horror of what he has to do for him…

“You can come back to your room.”

Axel bowed deeply with an ironic smirk on his lips and he moved away. His hand extended in the air and a Corridor of Darkness opened. He walked through it and came back on his room.

He glanced at the doll sat next to his pillow and just walked to his shower. He needed to wash himself…


	6. Fire in the flesh

A book on the floor, Sunlight sleeping on his back, Isa was doing push-up, going on one hand when he needed to turn the page. It was the best to stay in a good-shape and to study at once. He had so much to do, anyway, it was the best thing to do.

It was already the kind of things he did when he was in this place… this place he leaved in and forgot the Name of…

He wanted to go back there.

But for now, he wasn’t able to wield a Keyblade and Yen Sid refused him to leave for another World before he could at least call his weapon…

The man wasn’t wrong, though.

Isa’s magic was… They all said it was really powerful but honestly, he never really was able to call it when he wanted. Sometimes, Isa looked over Yen Sid and… he could see deception in his eyes. And… for some reason, it hurt?

Why would it hurt?

He knew nothing from those people, he was just a pawn between their hands so… why would it hurt?

_Knock knock knock._

Isa looked up when he heard those sounds and Sunlight squeaked before running toward the door.

A real dog.

And sometimes, she would do nothing but sleep in the high place, like the edge of the Mezzanine, and in a few occasions, he had the feeling she was judging him. A real cat.

“Yes?” he said, getting up and walking to the door.

He opened and saw Merlin smiling to him.

“Merlin!” Isa called. “You’re back.”

The old man left because he hadn’t just one child to take care of. He was from another World and used to travel all around them to help those needing him. He was away since, at least, one month. And, once again, Isa just didn’t understand why it mattered for him to see the old man.

“I’ve a surprise for you!” Merlin said. “You’re not the first one I show this but this is very special and… not far away from World travelling,” he explained.

Isa frowned and, at his feet, Sunlight meowed. Or barked… Just squeaked!

“Are you very sure you want to do that?!” a voice roared.

They both turned their head and saw Merryweather looking at them with a harsh look.

“But… Yes!” Merlin said.

“It is bad?!” he protested.

“It is if the child can’t! What are you doing with him!? Spoiling him?”

“When it comes to spoiling, you and your two friends are skilled too, old woman!”

“Old woman?! Old woman?!” Merryweather screamed. “I’m only one thousand and forty-two years old! And you…”

As they continued to argue, Isa slid on the side and he jogged to the main tower, climbing the stairs with the Meow Wow following him. He quickly climbed the long stairs snaking around the whole height. Even if he was used to it, he did was exhausted when he arrived in front of Yen Sid’s office. He knocked at the door and entered as soon as he was welcomed inside of it.

The old man raised his head from his book and he allowed himself a little smile when he saw the boy.

With time, those smiles, though really tiny, were more and more frequent. And, as it became common, he, too, started to smile more and more. He was still really closed on himself and a powerful sorrow still hugged his Heart but… he was feeling something new.

Maybe it was just because he was becoming more and more used to it and nothing else?

However, without Lea, he didn’t remind he had smiled with his parents. He always felt so bad there…

Lea…

“What can I do for you, Isa?” the old mage asked, closing his book after having slid a bookmark inside of it.

“I want to pierce my tongue,” he said. “Can I?”

Isa slid his hand in front of his mouth.

Those words just came out of his lips without he even realized it. He wanted to ask if he could follow Merlin in whatever he had planned for but… but suddenly, those words were vomit. And the idea nested in his guts, in his Heart, with a really pleasant feeling.

“A piercing?” the man asked, surprised.

He watched toward Isa’s ears. Those tiny jewels were often hid by the long blue lock but he did remember they were there. A piercing wasn’t something strange for the boy, in fact. Thought the man had been surprised Isa would ask him.

Pleasantly surprised.

Well… they weren’t in capacity of piercing and he was slightly afraid that this was just a trick from the teenager to get what he wanted: going outside of this World. Having the tool to go after Lea. And with the time… Yen Sid started to reproach himself those lies he said at the very beginning. His protégé still believed he could save Lea while he totally knew it would never be what he expected really…

“You can, if you want to. I’d recommend you to ask Fauna for this. She will probably be able to do it.”

“Xiggy?!”

Axel ran toward Xigbar.

Well, the man was walking, head toward the floor and food on the ceiling but it still was possible to walk toward him.

“Can you help me?” he asked.

“What do you want?” Xigbar appeared next to him and leaned in him. “I hope you don’t want me to help to run away? Especially not for this idiot.”

“Don’t talk about Isa that way!” Axel roared.

Xigbar smiled.

Each time he mentioned Isa in a bad way, he could see a powerful and vibrant fire burst in Axel’s eyes.

That was what they wanted. This fire. This passion.

But they also wanted him to let vanish every of his emotions. Which mean this was extremely difficult. But slowly… they will have what they expect from him. The hope of seeing Isa coming back was slowly vanishing and, honestly, Axel hadn’t talk about running away since one month…

He didn’t even seem to want it at this exact moment.

A good thing.

“Can you help me with this?”

In one hand, he had a long needle, in the other, a tiny jewel. It was shining blue so maybe he didn’t have totally forgotten Isa. That, Xigbar knew it. Because of the doll, because of the way his look was lost in the away sometimes. The memories the teenager had from his Human live, from his best friend… the one he loved, they were his most important memories and he cherished them.

So much.

“What do you want?” Xigbar asked.

He caught Axel’s cheek and pushed it on the side to watch one of his ear.

“Nop. Here!”

Axel stuck his tongue out.

Xigbar smiled. “Neat! I like that. Heat that needle,” he commanded.

Axel immediately did. But the older man didn’t pierce immediately. He didn’t want to pierce and cauterize immediately. He just wanted to disinfect it. And as soon as it was cold again, he approached it from the tongue still stuck out.

“Here?”

The teenager thumbed down.

Xigbar moved the needle until Axel raised the said thumb. Then, the man pierced. If the younger let out a tiny moan, a few moments after, the jewel was taking the place of the needle.

“It looks neat!” Xigbar said.

“Must see that!” Axel replied.

Well… he didn’t exactly say that. ‘Meuzd zhi dat’ should be what he truly had said at this moment. His tongue seemed heavy. It was certainly already swelling. But he was happy anyway.

He wanted to do something, to mark the fact his body was still his. That Xemnas couldn’t just pretend, one day, he would have his body and use it as he wished for. This body, this no-body, was his. And he would do what he wanted with it.

And he would hide his love for his best friend here, inside of him.

And… and something happened when he asked Xigbar to pierce his tongue. A… a strange feeling. A bond swirling within him. And, yes, he didn’t have a Heart anymore but this was so Heartwarming.

As if, suddenly, he had a Heart…

It was so sweet…

“Does it suit you?” Fauna asked.

She looked quite perplexed because of the piercing he asked. But… this red jewel in his tongue was fetching. It lost a bit in the soft color of the flesh but this color, with pink, scarlet and orange reflects, was really good for him.

She was just perplexed because it didn’t seem like him.

But he looked happy.

Happier that she never saw him.

And he had his hand pressed over his Heart, as if he had a really powerful energy swirling in it. Swelling it.

“Thank you, Fauna!” he said.

She used magic and so cure spell so if it was a bit strange and he’ll have to get used to it, he didn’t have side effect…

“Ah you’re here!”

It was Merryweather entering with Merlin. This one was holding a book in his arm.

“Yes, I’m here,” he replied. “You’re eased?” he asked with a smirk.

“We weren’t arguing with each other,” Merryweather replied.

“Of course,” Fauna laughed.

Isa smiled slightly. He glanced at Yen Sid who was working again, writing on a sheet of paper while reading a book. Flora must be around or maybe in their real World to take care of Aurora…

They were all afraid for her.

Isa could understand it.

“Yen Sid is okay for me to go there?”

“Where?” Fauna asked. “Oh!”

She just had noticed the book in Merlin’s arms.

“Yes, I am,” Yen Sid said from the office. “Come see me,” he invited.

Isa immediately complied. When he arrived in front of the desk, the man got up and walked toward him.

“The book Merlin brought back held very strong power. This will help you. The time passes in another way there and if you really wish it, you can train there. When you will need to train something in a really short time, you can come here… Though, you’re really hard-working and I’d like you to avoid this. Unless it’s for change your mind,” he added.

Those words were pretty surprising for Isa.

Though, he nodded.

“As you wish, Master.”

“When you’ll go there, bring me vegetables and fruits, please,” Fauna said. “Oh!! Would you prepare a Tatin Tarte with me?!” she offered, excited.

Isa smiled slightly and nodded.

“But… what is this World?” he asked.

“See by yourself,” Merlin invited.

He put down the book, opening it. He moved his hand toward the pages for him to come there.

Isa frowned.

“Just advance in the center of the pages,” Yen Sid said. “Can you show me your tongue before you’re going there?”

The teenager couldn’t help but smile and stuck out his tongue. The old mage nodded slightly, thanking him. He had no opinion on this, it seemed but there was something in his tiny black eyes.

Something soft.

Isa turned to the pages and walked toward it.

Sunlight squeaked and so, the boy lifting her, pressing her against his chest and walked a little bit more.

As the tip of his toes brushed the paper, he was suddenly aspired.

And he arrived in a very colorful place. He could almost feel a bit of his own World here. Palette absolutely gorgeous were amazing him and there was a little river, extremely clear where you could see fish jump.

Sunlight leaped from his arms and moved around.

He followed her, looking the beautiful landscape. He slid a lock of hair behind his ear and observed the flowers. He almost wanted to pick some for Fauna. And the others too. But he had to bring fruits and vegetables already.

But he didn’t know how he should do it…

Pick them up?

From where?

The Meow Wow squeaked and turned around in front of something.

“What’s happening?” Isa asked toward Sunlight.

“HEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!”

In the river, there was a tiny pink thing that was holding with all their strength to a long vine. Isa ran toward them and caught them before the current would make them swirl away.

“Are you okay?” Isa asked.

“Th… Than… Thank you. I was so afraid!” they cried, shaking.

“It’s okay now. Do you want us to bring you back home?” Isa asked.

He was perplexed by the creatures but… in their World, Lea loved to go in a little shop where a Duck was selling Ice Cream. And… well, DisneyWorld had also a really big amount of strange creatures, talking animals in every shape…

“P… Ple… Please,” the tiny creature muttered. “I’m… I’m Piglet!”

“I’m Isa. And here is Sunlight.”

Isa crouched to show the little creature to the Dream Eater.

“He’s cute!!”

“She is!”

Piglet caressed the cat-dog. Isa let the little pig climb on Sunlight and so they could walk toward the little guy’s home. From this, it was easier to say where they have to go…

After few hours, Isa had met a lot of people here. He didn’t have trained a lot but they were so joyful and intriguing. Though, some of them really annoyed Isa. At least, Sunlight had a lot of fun, playing around, and he had big baskets full of food a yellow rabbit gave to him for the Fairies.

Coming back from the Book, it was a bit strange, but he was back!

Sunlight squeaked and pushed a basket toward Fauna who laughed and came to them, caressing the big blue head.

“Thank you, Dear!” she said.

A squeak replied.

“It’s normal,” Isa replied. “We can cook the tarte whenever you want,” he swore.

Thought he would be happy to work. Or rest himself a little…

“So, you’re Isa?” a voice said.

Isa jumped in surprise and swirled toward that said voice and blinked with stupor.


	7. Holding a flame

If he could have summoned a Keyblade, he would have. Instead of it, he just glanced to the big mouse next to the desk of Yen Sid. A stare so cold it could have chilled the whole room…

“My wife and Master Yen Sid talked a lot about you!” the mouse said, without fearing him.

Maybe he should have because Isa’s look wasn’t less friendly when he hears this. He put down the baskets of food, though.

“I’m Mickey Mouse. I’d be happy to train with you and to show you some trick. Don’t worry about your Keyblade, maybe I…”

“It’s okay, Michael. Thank you for offering it however, I don’t need this help.”

“I…” Mickey was perplexed at those words. “I’m not… No one call me Michael,” he muttered in stupor.

Which seemed to please Isa, frankly, because the teenager let appear a smirk before turning on himself, facing Fauna.

“Tarte Tatin for the dessert?” he said, friendlier.

“You’re sure you don’t want to go train?”

“I can do this later.”

Isa had a hindrance there. If he had his reasons to show hate toward the mouse and was pretty glad with making him lose his time, seeing Fauna perplexed was something else. Fauna was really soft and kind. Being rude was out of her habits. And there… Mickey certainly did a lot of travel to get here. First because, from what Isa knew, the King was away from his realm most of the time…

It was an honor.

A real one.

As if it mattered for Isa…

The teenager watched toward the mouse as he saw Fauna looking toward the anthropomorphic one.

“Why aren’t you with your wife? I’m sure she’s waiting for you,” he said harsher than he expected.

“It’s enough, Isa. You will train with Mickey for one hour, more or less, and then we will eat. You will prepare the Tarte with Fauna tomorrow,” Yen Sid stated.

“But…” Isa sighed slightly. Maybe he deserved it. “Very well, Master.”

“I prefer that,” the old man said. “I don’t remember us having rais…”

He stopped himself in the mid of the sentence when he was realized what he was saying.

He didn’t remember them having raised him like that? _Obviously._ Isa was sixteen years old already. He was smart and benevolent, a bit sassy and full of anger and yet tried to show only kindness or deference. But… this wasn’t from them. Only from the parents he had before.

Acting like he said nothing, Yen Sid gestured toward Mickey.

“Please, help Isa. He still has not been able to summon his Keyblade but I have no doubt you would be a great help for him.”

“I’ll do my best, Master!”

At this moment, Isa just wanted to be able to. He would show his Keyblade to this rat and ask him to move away. Ask him to go back to his World. Why was he so mad? Because…

Because…

Isa moved away, leaving the tower and walking down the stairs leading to the tiny parcel flying around the Stars, the Worlds. He could hear Mickey following him with the tiny sound he made.

As he appeared outside, Sunlight popped from nowhere and Isa just caught her back.

He turned toward the Mouse, frowning.

“Why did you refuse to become a Master of the Keyblade?!”

“Oh…”

A little squeak from the Meow Wow tried to get Isa’s attention but she couldn’t. Not now. His eyes were too focused over the Mouse at his feet.

“I understand, for you who chose to become a Wielder and can’t even summon your Keyblade this must be…”

“No,” Isa said, firmly.

Mickey Mouse watched him. Perplexed.

“His Majesty refused to pass the Mark of Mastery because he wanted to marry the Queen Minnie!”

Isa turned his head toward the Guard Dog and the Magician Duck behind him. It was certainly why Sunlight had squeaked like that.

Mickey nodded.

“It’s the law. You can’t marry someone if you’re a Master of the Keyblade because, with the burden of Master, you make the vow you will protect the Universe first and before everything.”

“I know!” Isa said. “Then, why are you never at home?! You’re never in your World but you vowed to marry the Queen Minnie! Are you that stupid?!”

“You don’t understand, we need to protect the Worlds!” Mickey replied. “I love Minnie but I can’t be there for her all the time when people are suffering in so much Worlds. You’re young, you can’t understand.”

Isa looked him with a calm anger.

He could understand.

He wanted to wield the Keyblade to be able to save Lea. And if he had to become a Master to have the strength he needed… he will. And yet, Lea will always remain the first one important for him.

Mickey made a choice.

Mickey chose his Wife over the Keyblade and, yet, he was all over the Worlds instead of with her?

That was making him mad.

He hated him for this. Sometimes, while he was studying with Minnie, she was talking about how much she missed him. He talked about Lea too. It was hard for both of them. And for Isa it was even worst to see the Queen so cheerful and positive to be sad like that…

He hated him.

Yes, he didn’t know him. Maybe he was really nice, after all, Minnie loved him… But it was still on his guts, on his throat and that annoyed him really much. Knowing that the King was in travel, not caring very much for his wife. Not caring enough at his taste, at least.

So, maybe it was him who was wrong…

“You shouldn’t let so much doubt within you,” Mickey said. “It’s nice from you to care but it can turn in a very negative way. You lived it.”

“Yes!” the Duck approved behind Isa.

“Maybe it’s the reason you can’t summon the Keyblade?”

Those words, for Isa, meant ‘I feel Darkness within you.’

And what if he was right?

Yen Sid had told him he gave him Sunlight to protect him from the Darkness he started to be swallowed within…

“Look… you can fight against all of three of us,” Mickey offered.

Coming from nowhere, the mouse grabbed the wooden Keyblade and threw it to him.

“Beat us! Alone.”

“Three against one?” Isa replied with a smirk.

He watched over his Keyblade.

There was still something off with this…

“Very well… If I win, you come back to DisneyLand,” he said, holding out his Keyblade toward him.

Mickey smiled. “And if we win… you’ll train with us. A lot.”

Isa smirked.

“Very well.”

The second, after, he dashed to him. It wasn’t important if something was off with this wooden Keyblade. He trained with this one. He just needed to find the correct balance within him. He felt this amount of Darkness vibrating within him, he felt also the Light… Maybe he could control his magic if he found this balance.

He had the best reason to win here.

He whistle after Sunlight and commanded her to stay on the side and after that… he attacked.

He had trained with Yen Sid and other Magicians for six months only but he also had fencing and other sports imposed by his family before. This meant he could hold this fight against them. No matter if Mickey, Goofy and Donald were highly trained.

He’ll do his best.

Isa dodged Mickey’s attack, rolled to avoid a magic spell coming from Donald and stumble as he got up. He gulped and jumped, his tip toes landed on Goofy’s shield. Especially because the dog had lifted it so he could protect himself.

Flying in the air, Isa prayed for this Magic to come out of him. Sunlight squeaked and jumped around, as if she was cheering him up.

He was about to land when Mickey threw Light at him, throwing backward.

Isa landed on the edge of the platform and rolled. Rolled until he felt from the tiny World. Donald let out a loud quack.

“Oh no!” Mickey screamed out.

He ran toward the edge and bent in front of it.

He could see a blue shadow just in the glimpse of a second and then, he felt the hard end of a Key against his nape.

“I won.”

“How do y…”

Mickey was blinking in disbelieve in front of this trick. And then, he let out a little laugh. At least, it was a good point in Isa’s opinion on him. He wasn’t that bad if he could at least have fun of himself.

But the teenager didn’t like him more…

“How did you do?!”

“We were scared,” Goofy pointed out.

“I’m just used to train here and I guessed you’ll be afraid and would react.”

Mickey was used to train there too but he never thought about tricking his opponents. Could he say he was less vile?

He wasn’t sure.

It just seemed to be another way of thinking but…

This was peculiar, yes.

“I think Isa won,” a voice said in their back.

Sunlight squeaked, as long as Donald, as they turned toward Yen Sid.

“He did!” Mickey said. “I wasn’t ready at this and I think we should…”

The Mouse wanted to have his revenge, at least to save his honor, and Isa was ready to fight as much as possible for Minnie’s sake, though he was sure he wouldn’t win this time. But Mickey stopped stalking. But what prevent him to keep talking was Flora suddenly appearing in front of them. First she was a little ball red and then, she took back her normal height. And what immediately annoyed Isa was to see her walking…

“Flora? What’s happening?” Yen Sid asked, ignoring the mouse.

She didn’t seem to realize someone was talking to her. Didn’t seem to realize a lot of people were around her…

Yen Sid moved toward her, sliding his hand on her shoulder.

“Flora!”

She looked up toward him.

“I was in our World…”

Isa knew that and the worst was to hear the tone of the lady. She was strict and could show doubt in situation but she would never show sadness. Neither real anger, in contrary of Merryweather…

“Darkness… Darkness is growing. The Darkness is becoming powerful.”

“I thought Maleficent had left that World?” Mickey said. “Shouldn’t it have protected it?!”

“It’s not the only source of Darkness…” Goofy pointed out.

As he said that, something must have activated a connection between Flora and her two comrades because the two others Fairies arrived. Fauna noticed her protégé, of course, and flew next to him while Flora was still on her feet, shaking.

“What’s happening?” Merryweather asked.

“Darkness is spreading over your World for some reasons…”

“We thought this place would be protected,” Yen Sid pointed out. “Aurora’s Light isn’t enough?”

“Her Light will protect the World. For now.”

“She needs helps as soon as possible,” Fauna muttered.

Isa was still there, next to them, listening to the sad and frightening situation. His fingers were switching.

“My Pals and I can take care of that,” Mickey explained. “Maybe I can see if something happened. If Maleficent isn’t there anymore to spread her Darkness, nor Xehanort…”

Isa twitched at this last word.

And his hand shook a little more before feeling suddenly extremely heavy. Light bathed him and looks turned over him. Yen Sid’s mouth was open, Mickey let out a sound and Donald quacked. Sunlight started to turn around Isa with excitation.

“Isa…” the old man said. “You can summon a Keyblade”.

Isa looked down and, with huge stupor, saw the Keyblade in his hand.

The Keyblade that had failed to protect Lea, that had refused to appear each time he wanted it to arrive. Wanted it to help him to protect the only one mattering. But… now, maybe it could protect someone deserving it.

“I will do it,” Isa said. “I’ll do my best to protect Aurora.”

“You’re a treasure,” Fauna whispered, emotion in her voice.

Isa wanted to say he just did what he had to do but… he couldn’t.

Especially not when he saw Yen Sid’s look.

“Mickey will go there, and you will train more. You can’t risk your life just because you have now a Keyblade in your hand. We’re not even sure you could summon it again. Mickey, get yourself ready.”

A calm rage swirled within Isa.

Goofy glanced at the teenager but moved after his King to the Gummi Ship.

“We’re coming with you,” Flora said.

Fauna brushed Isa’s cheek and smiled softly before moving away, swirling to join the others.

“Master Yen Sid!” Isa protested.

Maybe he could run and…

He felt a hand on his shoulder. Yen Sid could have sensed what he had in mind, obviously…

“Stay here, Isa.”

“But why?! I summoned my Keyblade!”

The ship raised on the other side of the platform, making feel Isa even more useless. He wished he could help the Fairies that meant so much to him. He wished he could help Minnie by sending her back her husband…

But he was there, standing in the grass of the platform, under the veil of stars…

“You summoned it but we don’t know if that can become a habitude or not.”

Isa looked down at his Keyblade.

“Why did it work this time? Each time I wanted to summon it for Lea…”

“Maybe it’s this, only this… When it comes to Lea, your Heart is always cloaked of Darkness. You hate yourself, you feel remorse, sorrow, anger… It’s Darkness and you’re wielding for the Light.”

Isa clenched his hand over his Heart.

“You wanted to protect and make others smile. That’s Light, Isa.”

He still wished he could do something. He still wished it came for Lea. But now… Now he was able to understand how to summon it?

Now he would be able to protect Lea… isn’t it?

“I was right…” Isa said.

“About what?” Yen Sid asked, hiding his surprise.

Until now, they ignored why Isa couldn’t summon his Keyblade…

“There was something off with your wooden Keyblade,” the teenager said back.

Yen Sid nodded. Isa said it very often.

“My Keyblade is heavier. Fearfully heavier.”

At those words, Yen Sid couldn’t help but smiled a little.

Just a little.

He was more skilled than he thought and his connection with the Keyblade was deeper than he thought…


	8. Missfire

Yen Sid never had children. He was a Master of the Keyblade, he had made his vows to the Greater Good of the whole Universe. When Eraqus got his own child, though it was still forbidden and had been hidden to the High Instance, he felt a bit… sad. He would have wanted to see what it was. Eraqus was always so proud of his son. He hadn’t the chance to take care of him as soon as wanted but from the moment Terra got eight years old and was in his charge… he never stopped about this.

Xehanort and he teased him sometimes because it was really unbearable.

Today, Yen Sid supposed Eraqus’ fate had been sad. Xehanort’s path had been sad and his… Not wielding anymore, having students she didn’t get attached to, no real purpose, no one in his life, no children when he asked himself if he would have wanted one…

Today…

Today, Isa was in his office, pacing again and again, so he wondered… wasn’t he happy of this fate?

The teenager was kind, polite, benevolent, hard-working but it was hard to contain him.

He wanted to go to Enchanted Dominion and holding him back was challenging…

Isa was in right to want to do it. Isa was in right to want to use his Keyblade to protect those needing it. How could he say to him he was wrong in this case?

“I do understand why you want to go in the Enchanted Dominion but I think it’s a wrong idea. You don’t have enough experience to go there by your own.”

“Your other apprentice is there, Mickey.”

“Yes. But I can sense you have acrimony against him.”

Isa swirled toward the man. “Do I?” he said with a little smile.

More likely a smirk.

“Isa.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve much faith in you, but this is not for you,” he said. “And I understand your need to do something and to want to help however in this actual situation, it would be a mistake.”

“But Master…”

Yen Sid raised his hand.

“Please. You can’t go take care of Aurora’s problem. Mickey is there with Donald and Goofy. They’re very skilled. All of them. And the Fairies will be also helped by Aurora’s Light. Nonetheless, you summoned your Keyblade and you deserve a fair reward.”

The man moved his finger toward him, asking him to stay there before coming to see Merlin.

Isa folded his arms, hugging himself tightly.

There was something in him.

He could feel something grow in his Heart and this was strange. Unexplainable.

One day, he should talk about it to his Master…

He brushed the jewel on the center of his tongue. When he touched it, he had the feeling he could feel this strength growing and this was strange to him because he didn’t know why he wanted that. But loved it anyway. Loved the fact he felt a strange warm coming from there.

And there again…

He should warn Yen Sid because it was strange…

It really was strange.

A frightening and yet soothing feeling…

He couldn’t explain that.

Yen Sid came back. With Merlin who had his wand in hand and a little smile on his lips.

“You’re going with him?” he asked, to be sure.

Yen Sid nodded.

“Where?” Isa asked, surprised.

The old mage walked toward the young teenager. He put his hand on his shoulder and, at this exact moment, as if she could feel something, Sunlight ran toward them, rubbing her head against Isa’s ankle.

Merlin let out few words come outside his lips and, at some point, seemed to hesitate about what to say, his wand rolled in his beard… but he managed to finish the spell.

As the last word exploded, a cloud rolled around them.

When it vanished, they were in a very dull and dark World.

Sunligh hissed, bringing herself on the tip of her toes as Isa looked around with surprise.

“Where are w…”

He blinked, bringing his hand to his mouth with horror.

This place.

He knew this castle.

And all of this… All of this looked like everything he knew. He could see it revives around him, could remember the alley were he watched Lea running when he didn’t leave his home. Could see his beautiful smile shine in his mind.

‘I want every person I meet remember me forever,’ a voice sang in his head. ‘In your memory, I’d be immortal.’

Isa felt his legs shiver. This was supposed to be a reward? This was only horror and his Heart pounded so fast… his Heart swallowing the Darkness ambient and making him shake even more.

For six months, he had thought often about Lea but he never invaded his mind because he was always working. Yen Sid kept congratulating him because he was often so obedient and so ready to train, whatever in what, or study. But the truth was that he tried to save himself from being swallowed by this feeling.

Yen Sid certainly thought he was pleasing him.

This was a Nightmare. And Sunlight couldn’t do anything… Maybe _his_ Sunlight could have. If Lea was here, if he was in his arms, everything would be alright. But Lea wasn’t there. He was alone. The memories had been swallowed by the Mayhem and something wet rolled to his hand, climbing on it and pursuing its course, following the curve of his wrist or landing in the ravaged World.

“Isa!” Yen Sid said when he noticed it.

He wasn’t good at all for that and his hand was hovering above his shoulder, not knowing what to do.

Maybe he was crying of joy?

It arrived sometimes.

Thought… he didn’t think it was joy. Not with the Darkness gathering around, not with Isa’s expression.

But now… what could he do?

Make him sit on the floor?

Maybe.

He led him toward the edge of a platform above a lake filled with huge waterfall. They could see platforms here and there and, while Yen Sid almost knew nothing about Radiant Garden, Isa was sure to recognize them.

Or his brain was just throwing awful feeling to him.

“Why…”

“This is your World. You could protect the other World if you become Master. You could, maybe, bring life to this one,” he replied.

Maybe he could also understand why Mickey was never there. The less he will hate the mouse, the better it will be.

Yen Sid thought he had replied Isa’s question, and it was normal, from his point of view.

But he was very away from that.

He couldn’t understand Isa’s real question. The question simmering in his Heart since so long. Since the first day. The question he wanted to ask but never did. Maybe because he was afraid?

Maybe…

Maybe because he couldn’t accept more?

Maybe because his sunlight was the only beacon in the Madness of his life and the endless ocean of sorrow…

“Why did you save me?”

“Excuse me?” Yen Sid said.

Isa looked toward him.

“Why did you separate us? Why did you save me? Why… Why did you save _me_ and not him?”

There were so many reproaches in Isa’s voice…

So many…

Yen Sid could have worry for his Heart, for his Light, for the Keyblade…

He did none of those. He sat next to him, his legs dangling in the void. For the first time, he was truly at his level. Though he was still way taller than him. But there, he wasn’t one of the most powerful mage anymore, he wasn’t his Master anymore. He was just a Human.

“The truth…”

Yen Sid looked him, looked the tears rolling over the young cheeks. He said to Fauna to not get attached to him, he should have told so to himself.

Things had changed.

And there, he just hoped Isa’s intelligence wasn’t just the effect of his imagination.

“I came for you. I bonded my life to the Moon and the Stars. Suddenly, I was bathed by energy, a powerful energy. Yours… Your energy called for help. So I came. However, I was especially attracted to the power coming from there.”

Isa gasped but said nothing, letting him pursue. Even if he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear that following…

“In that fight against Xehanort, we had lost one Master filled with great potential and one who could become what we searched for. We had lost an old Master who had still so much to give and a young boy with a Light so pure it could only help our cause.”

Isa looked down. Now, he was sure he didn’t want to hear more but he remained silent anyway.

“In your energy, I felt Hope. I came because you could fight with us.”

“The only thing you wanted, it was keeping _me_ alive.”

“Yes.”

For the first time in his life, Yen Sid showed remorse.

He never doubted his decisions and always accepted the consequences of them… Here, it was more difficult. The doubts were still absent but he wanted to push away those echoes…

“You were wrong…” Isa whispered. “I’m not alive.” He closed his eyes. “I’m not alive without him.”

“I know,” Yen Sid said.

“I just want to have him back…”

“Isa.”

Isa looked up at him when he heard that firm tone. More was coming and he shivered again, his eyes begging him to say no more.

The teenager just found the way to summon his Keyblade and Yen Sid knew it was really risky to confess the worst now.

But it wasn’t a question of Light here.

“I promised you something, promised you could save your friend.”

“I can’t…” Isa muttered, tears spilling out his eyes. “Isn’t it?”

“The only way to save him, being a Nobody… his to give him the peace he deserves.”

More tears rolled along Isa’s cheeks and his Heart become so tiny. No Sunlight, no words could ease his pain. He wanted to cry but they always told him to stay quiet and so, he just watched the void as Darkness were licking his skin, asking to come in him, to ravish his Heart.

“He was…” Isa pinched his lips. “He is all my life…”

“I know.”

Isa shivered more, his eyes lost in the away.

“Very well…” he muttered.

“Very well?” Yen Sid replied, with stupor.

“I will be your weapon. If this is what you’re expecting from me. I’ll slay whoever you want me to slay. Until the day I’ll find him…” Isa got up. “This day… when he will be free… I’ll stay with him forever.”

“Isa!”

“Hearts belongs to Kingdom Hearts, isn’t it? When a Heart disappears, it goes to Kingdom Hearts. Inside this very Light, I’ll find him. He’s waiting for me?”

Yen Sid could lie here but why would he?

“It’s true.”

“When he will be free, when Xehanort will let go on what remains of him… I’ll join him.”

Yen Sid saw the determination burn within him, in his eyes… and could feel the Darkness rolling around him.

It was said the Moon had always a side bathed by light when the second was plunged in the dark and no one knew what was happening there.

Isa was moved by the Moon.

He had, perhaps, the most powerful Moon energy he never felt before… Of course his being was made of Light and Darkness…

“Are you okay?”

Axel, reading a book with Zexion on his lap, extremely annoyed, looked him with surprise.

“Wat?”

“You’re crying.”

“Nice try, I can’t cry!” Axel smirked. “But if ya just wanna play…” he started.

His fake good mood, and his efforts to be understandable by everybody with hisswollen tongue, disappeared at the second Zexion touched his cheek, gathering what appeared like a droplet.

With his other hand, Axel whipped his other cheek and blinked.

He was crying…

But he wasn’t sad?

He had not emotions… But, especially, Xigbar told him he had been blessed by a powerful magic. He couldn’t cry anymore.

It was supposed to be a magic tied with love and as witless it seemed, he accepted it because he could sense _who_ threw this spell.

But then… Why was he crying?

He wasn’t the one crying…

He clenched the fist as he understood. Somewhere in the World, the one he loved more than everything was feeling an unbearable pain…

And he couldn’t cheer him up.

Should he even be happy that he hadn’t forget him?

Surely not…


	9. Cloudburst

To be fair, Yen Sid was worried.

Not a kind of worry you’d have if you have the whole fate of several Worlds, if not all the Worlds, on your shoulders. Something… more personal.

More private.

It was hard to explain.

First, because he wasn’t even _sure_ he could.

He broke his vows toward the Keyblade Masters when they did things he didn’t like but never to the protection of the Worlds itself. And now that the remaining Master of the Keyblade were dying one after one, letting the unbearable burden on his shoulders to bear it…

Books were spread around in the floor but also in one or two furniture. Whatever you looked, there was something, pages filled with ink and rarely with colorful drawings. If you read the sheets, passing by, you’d pass from Mathematics to unknown language to numerous Geography or World History. You’d see information about different animals. In some they were lost forever, in other so common…

This was a really important amount of knowledge that few only could remember. Even Jiminy Cricket, who was a Conscience since the begin of the time and planned to continue for ever, had really much difficulty to remember everything and from what Minnie told Isa, Chip and Dale were working to create a device able to have all those information on demand for anyone needing it…

It was a lot.

And Isa was absolutely sure Yen Sid knew all of this. Merlin too. Maybe the three Fairies.

He really was in the best place to learn in his opinion.

And he really thought he wasn’t the one they needed. Not because he couldn’t remember everything; not because he couldn’t summon his Keyblade for six months and even now, it asked time. Not because, without Sunlight, he would do so unbearable Nightmare, he would wake up everyone… No… it was because of this Darkness swirling within him. He couldn’t do anything against it. He was embracing it. He could feel it.

And the worst? He wasn’t in the idea to push it away.

Everybody said to him that Lea was lost in the Darkness. He felt he should slide in them if he wanted to find him.

He didn’t want to push it back. Didn’t want to refuse something linked to his Lea. But, in this case, he had to control it.

He couldn’t disappoint Yen Sid even more.

He couldn’t lose himself there. Even if being with lea forever, whatever it was, was really tempting.

He talked about it to Minnie has he was waiting for the three Fairies to come back, as she was waiting for Mickey to come back, again. Maybe he had won the fight and he should be there, next to the one he said loving but… the Worlds needed him? Minnie said it was normal. Minnie was only kindness and love. And maybe it was the reason he talked about this Darkness to her and not Yen Sid. He could say to her how he was tempted because of love. He could say to her he wanted to accept it… and this was the reason, with her, almost, pure Light, she enchanted a charm for him.

For evident reasons, she decided to choose a sun. A beautiful pink-red Sun around a red shining jewel. More Sunlight for Isa. A reason to pursue. And he… he added it to another kind of jewelry he found in DinseyLand as he was there for hi training.

Maybe he shouldn’t do that, laying on his bed?

Maybe Yen Sid would be really angry against him.

But he couldn’t lose the charm and he didn’t like necklace or collar. And bracelet would be annoying. Armbands too. He was gaining muscles and he was a fighter.

As for changing his earrings… he couldn’t.

He just couldn’t.

Lea offered those to him and he planned to never, ever take them out.

No matter what.

Maybe he shouldn’t do that, laying on his bed, with Sunlight moaning next to him. Moaning to him because Isa was sliding a needle through his belly, hiccupping in pain as scarlet spread along his pale skin. Drop of amaranth losing among the tiny brown spots drawing constellations. He was sliding the jewel in place of the needle, letting a reddish stone nestle in his belly button and clipping another similar just above. The Sun was laying against his skin.

And it was warm…

He put down the material he used, passing his hand in his hairs, which were falling in front of his forehead. He closed his eyes, breathing slowly.

Sunlight squeaked, moaned, asked him with tiny sounds if he was okay.

Of course he was. This pain was nothing.

“I’m good, Sunlight,” he said. “Bring me my book?”

Sunlight looked him with perplexity and it was almost as if Isa remembered how many book it was reading at once.

“Anything,” he said.

The Meow Wow dashed toward the first book to bring it back to him.

_Knock knock._

“Yes?” Yen Sid said.

He was reading a big book with words and image switching and not him turning the pages.

This book told what was happening in the World at this moment. Or tried its best to do it, at least. No magic seemed to be strong enough to bring back all the events in the Worlds at this exact moment in a single book, in a Tower, lost among the Stars.

It was upon one Master of the Keyblade, the biggest, strongest and most respected one, to know everything around the Worlds. Know when help was needed all around. Once upon a time, it was quite easy because there were so many wielders of Keyblade and also Masters… Now, the only advantage Yen Sid had on the others was the fact his World was travelling around.

But Yen Sid was no Master of the Keyblade anymore.

Having this book was new.

New from today…

Eraqus should have been the one getting it, but he was no more. Xehanort belonged to the Darkness so there was only him… He never believed he would be the one inheriting of that when their Master would die… and about this Master… this Master would never have the book in the first place if he wasn’t one of the last.

Now…

Now, Yen Sid realized this book was supposed to be Mickey’s or Isa’s in a very close future. And… Isa would certainly never inherit it.

They needed more wielders…

“I’m disturbing you?” Isa asked, Sunlight squeaking at his feet.

“No,” the old man replied.

And it would have been so ironical to reproach this to him? He was the one who called him at the first place…

They hadn’t talked a lot for three days. Since he told him about Lea’s real fate.

“Do you have study?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Do you have trained?”

“Yes, Master.”

Isa could sense the tense between them. The old man was obviously quite disconcerted. And the teenager, on the other hand, was quite flintier than usually.

“Do you have any questions?”

Isa shook his head. “No, Master,” he added, just in case the man didn’t have seen that.

“Very well.”

He could have said ‘continue like that’ but he didn’t. Especially because ‘like that’ was really too much in this case. But he couldn’t neither say ‘do less’.

He was in front of an enigma and he didn’t know how to reach Isa now…

“Should I leave?” Isa asked. “Or there was something peculiar?”

The old man noticed that Isa was slightly more intelligent he thought. He was able to understand his unease. Maybe because he did feel it too?

In front of his eyes, he saw a new World appear. A new problem.

The list of problem was growing each day. Darkness slid into every Heart.

Almost every Heart.

And with this amount of Darkness within him, the worst was happening. Which brought more Darkness over a World and, little by little, the circle was becoming bigger and going faster, casting madness, sadness and troubles in every World it could reach to eat more and more as a gluttonous ill.

“Wait, please,” Yen Sid said.

His finger pressed on a point of the map and then swirled the pages until he found the World in question, the dedicated sheet. New words in golden were now spread there…

“There is a World needing your help. You’ll go there alone.”

“Alone?” Isa said.

“With Sunlight, obviously. But alone, yes,” Yen Sid said.

He grabbed a sheet of paper and write on it.

“The one needing your help is a lady. I wrote you down her address. Go there and help her. Do your best and if you need any assistance, you can send me Sunlight with a message.”

“Very well, Master. I leave with the Gummi Ship?”

“Yes.”

They still were alone. Merlin could have brought him there in just one moment if he was there but the Worlds were slowly falling and every help was required.

“I will keep you aware if I can. However, I’ll do the most I can in the shortest time.”

“Do it correctly,” he said.

“Obviously, Master Yen Sid.”

“When you’ll come back…”

Isa was about to turn out but he let his look on the Mage.

“We’ll train together. Your magic and your skills in Keyblade wielding can and must be improved.”

The teenager nodded. “I wanted to ask you to help me to assimilate the power of the Moon.”

“It’s a good decision from you,” the old man said. “I will teach you. As soon and as often as you wish for.”

“Thank you.”

Isa bowed as deeply as he could.

He turned on himself this time and left for the lowest pat of the tower, coming to the very special room where the Gummi ships were all parked. He took one, pretty tiny but he could drive it, at least.

He wasn’t good enough for a bigger. And in DisneyWorld, Minnie told him it was better to drive the bigger at not one but three or four.

For the best.

Isa could encrypt the data in the screen board.

The World he had to go was called Earth 5-AC. In fact, there was a lot of World with the same kind of architectures or the same Town. Because they had been torn apart but they have the same roots. Some were just duplicate of the same place but the time had moved differently and here they were.

“Earth 5-AC?”

Axel frowned, his arms folded as he watched Xemnas. In contrary, the man wasn’t watching him at all. He was too busy with his owns affairs. They were only seven and yet, since they didn’t have to sleep, they could be very efficient. You could hope for Kingdom Hearts to raise very fast.

And yet…

Something was missing.

They couldn’t have Kingdom Hearts now. No matter how much they’ll try to but it was only one half year since they were trying.

Sometimes, time was allowed.

And it was still hard to know what they could do.

Xemnas did nothing but ruling over them; Xigbar assisted him, accompanying same of them; Xaldin was unleashing Darkness over Worlds, finding potential Hearts filling with Darkness… ; Vexen was doing researches. A lot of researches. Vainly.; Lexaeus was protecting the Citadel because a lot of creatures lurked and wanted to destroy them; Zexion was… too young. He helped Vexen, most of the time. But what he had, his power, they were useful for Xemnas who, often, required his help and made him use his illusions to fool people. To trick them, having their Heart… That was better than having him using them against them. Thought it wasn’t something he wanted to do. They came at night.

Each time the little Ienzo was doing a Nightmare, they all were submitted to the waves of horror in his mind…

And last, but not least, Axel had to do everything icky. Killing, yes, but not only. Each time there was something one didn’t want to do, or couldn’t do, it was for him.

Taking care of Zexion in another World to make him follow Xemnas’ plans, it was on him too…

Axel would have wanted to sleep… but being with Zexion wasn’t that annoying. What truly annoyed him was how their boss acted with him. As if he was nothing more than an object, fancy object. He could sense how much he was just a toy in his hands. How much the man was trying to… break him? Turn him into his puppet, his doll…

He could have attained it if Axel didn’t keep an ounce of hope.

“Yes, Earth 5-AC,” Xemnas said, as he looked the sheets of paper in his hand. “Is that a problem for you?”

“Yes!” Axel replied.

The man turned his head toward him for the first time.

Usually, they didn’t talk back to him.

Axel was a nuisance and it wasn’t the first time.

“It’s the last of my problems if it’s annoying you. You will do it. Now! Go to Earth 5-AC. With Zexion. I count on him. Not you.”

“I understand. I will kill those on his path, it’s that it? Keep him safe. And nothing else…” Axel stuck his tongue out even if that made shine the blue jewel. Or maybe he did it _because_ it made shine the blue jewel. “I’m your man,” he replied.

If he hated all of this, he got used to it.

And he wouldn’t show it to Xemnas.

One day, he’ll lead the dance.

One day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way... Don't do like Isa at home! Do not pierce your own flesh to have piercing!! (and certainly don't put a heavy charm on it right away)  
> I can use magic (and do what I want) in that fic but don't do it at home!!!! (Also, same for Axel tongue piercing. It would be such a bad idea in real life?)  
> Don't do it.
> 
> Buuuuut!!! You can stay hydrated!! Or tell yourself you're awesome because you certainly are!! And you can also throw love at @Saixbosom (if you're adult, because don't make him uneasy please) he deserves it!!!  
> And if you want to support me (and love shit post and following my stupids comments while I'm playing Fire Emblem : Three Houses, you can follow me and support me on twitter at @Angelscythe !!!)


	10. Crossfire

Once in a while, you could hear Zexion talk.

But it was extremely rare.

Since he had been accepted in Ansem, the Wise,’s program and that his screams were among the others you could hear the Nights, Zexion stopped talking. Which mean, since Even adopted him, he almost never hear his child talk. But he didn’t care. He loved him anyway. He would protect him anyway. Hence why Axel got threatened by a Vexen taking out his nose from his work. Just the time to make sure nothing will happen to his son.

Axel really didn’t have problem with being threatened. And less again to be with Zexion since he liked him.

And they were the only two kids of the organization. Well, he was almost fifteen and Zexion was nine years old and they weren’t in the same rank of age… but still. Zexion was mature, he was childish.

And yet…

Both of them had lost everything that made them children.

When Zexion immured himself in the silence, Axel never stopped babbling.

He could have chatting around as they were walking in this World. But he was just walking next to him. They hadn’t any coat for child so Zexion was a bit ridicule, appearing as if he was wearing a long black dress and stumbling in the folds of the coat. Even for Axel it was too long. But he had fixed it with things looking like hem.

“Do you want me to carry you?” Axel asked.

Zexion looked up at him.

Being carried by him?

It wouldn’t be the first time he’d be carried around. He was so little and tiny, everybody did it so it was faster. It was the first time, though, that it was someone with such thin arms and being so little offered it to him. Axel didn’t seem strong and you couldn’t even say it was just appearance because, as much he was able to do very much with his chakrams, those weren’t that heavy. Of course, Axel didn’t need to fight but to sneak. He didn’t need to be able to hold a clash but just to come from every way and to give one, maybe two, piercing attack that would end every problem…

Yet, Zexion nodded.

Axel leaned in and grabbed the child, lifting him on his hip were the legs embraced him. The arms came around his shoulders.

“Okay, now, Xemnas’ stupid mission…” he sighed.

He entered in _Rue d’Alésia_ searching the right place.

Here, Xemnas just needed to be sure he could have what he expected. Opulence that would let him have everything and have every way to do what he had to do when he had to do it but, especially, the opulence worthy of a King. Of the biggest King…

Such opulence, even Ansem the Wise would want it.

Well… if he had been able to survive the sad fate Xemnas had offered him when he still was one.

At this moment, Axel wanted to ask ‘you too, you think Xemnas is an asshole?’ but he decided he wouldn’t.

Zexion was still a child…

Isa followed Yen Sid’s indications after having hidden the Gummi Ship. This technology was known by very few Worlds and it was better not using it.

In fact, if he’d listened to Yen Sid, the best would be to be able to use his Keyblade and only this. But Isa’s Keyblade was heavy and for now, the only thing he could correctly do with it was throwing it in the sky hence forcing himself to move aside before being hit by something as heavy as that.

But it was normal.

He trained with it since three days only.

All the move, all the learning he gathered in six months were almost vanished because that wooden Keyblade, thought already quite heavy, was just like a tiny branch in regard of the heaviness of his own Keyblade.

Especially because Isa was more comfortable if he used it with only one hand.

Everyone had their own way to use the Keyblade.

One day, soon he hoped, Isa would be able to summon that armor of his…

But now, he preferred walking toward the big house Yen Sid had designated him. Isa had hesitated to let Sunlight in the Gummi Ship, with the window open, but he decided she will come with him. She was strange and you couldn’t exactly define what she was but… he really couldn’t let her alone.

Especially because she did so much for him.

He walked up _Rue d’Alésia_. It was just a normal street. Nothing special to see or notice. Just a street as you could see many and many.

And yet, it was special.

Isa really felt something peculiar with it but he just couldn’t point it out.

Walking up the street, sliding around them with a look on the paper delivered by Yen Sid, Isa arrived in front of the big house and could have been impressed by the opulence here if he hadn’t been raised in a house bigger than this one, if he hadn’t passed one year in a Castle before finding his doom. His doom and his joy at the same time…

He felt a bit like a spoiled brat at this moment…

Yet, he rang that tiny bell, sending repercussion all over the house thing to a string device.

Only a few minutes passed before the door opened on an old woman with a really neat hairdressing and a beautiful dress. It reminded his own mother to Isa and yet he smiled slightly. She had a handkerchief in her hand, red eyes and gave the feeling the World had vanished under her feet…

“He… hello?”

“Hello, Madame. It came to my attention you have a problem and I’m willing to help you.”

“Did you have seen my cats?!” she asked eagerly with hope in her voice. “Do you know where they are?!”

Isa was tempted, for two seconds, to verify if he was in the correct place. But he saw so much hope in her look…

Perhaps, probably, he really was here for her. Because there was no little problem. For everyone, their problem was big. And Yen Sid often talked about that theory ‘The Flap of a Butterfly’s Wings in one World set off a Tornado in another one’ so, a tiny problem that seemed absolutely insignificant was, in fact, the button that will provoke the apocalypse.

Sometimes, his Master would talk about how Xehanort was just someone not very important, not very gifted. Just… someone. Craving to leave his home. Eraqus had wanted to help him to move away from this fate he hated and now…

“Young boy?” the lady asked, as she saw him glancing slightly on the side. “You… You’re searching another home, perhaps?”

Her hope had vanished. From her face. From her voice…

“No. No, I’m here for helping you to find your cats, Madame!” he said with the most beautiful fake smile he owned.

“Oh thank you,” she said with relieve in her voice.

Of course, she still seemed unbelievably lost. Sadness was wrapping her face as he opened wider the entry and let him enter.

“Thank you. Do you have any representation of your ca…ats…”

As he said those words, Isa saw big paints all around the place. Images of cats, white, ginger, black and white again were wrapping the walls and he never saw someone loving someone else that much. Yes, the problem of this woman was big and he expected to ease it.

If only he could…

“I… I see.”

“Do you want something to drink, while we’re talking?” she offered before blowing her nose in her handkerchief.

Suddenly, she didn’t look like a lady anymore…

She was just a ball of sadness.

“Just a cup of what will make you a little happier, Madame,” he replied.

“You’re a sweet boy,” she said with a sad smile. “Come…” she invited.

Although she was an old lady with a lot of money and every way and right to have many employee, she prepared the tea by herself. Taking two cup, sliding herbs and flower in one big ball of metal with holes all over it. She slid it in a kettle where a lot of drawings depicted scenery of cats playing around. She filled a huge pot with really clear water and turned the gaze on before cracking a matchstick.

All along, her hands were shaking. And her hands were still shaking as she brought a chair next to the flames. With those flames, they would stay very warm.

“Where did you see your cats the last time?” Isa started as they installed themselves like poor wretches.

“Here. They never left home. This Mansion is big enough for them to have need to walk outside,” she stated.

Isa watched her at those words.

His parents said that about him. For a long moment, he had thought they were trying to protect him but with time, he realized it was everything but that…

“Did they have the slightest chance to find a way to run away?” Isa asked. “It’s possible they just wanted to see more.”

“It’s possible,” she said. “But highly improbable,” she certified.

“Why?”

“Because… I take care of them and they love me,” she replied.

But there was doubt in her voice.

“Do you think they just flee from here?” the old lady asked.

You could sense that, suddenly, she believed she was a Monster.

Isa should be contrite about this. It was his fault. He sowed the doubt within her because he was just thinking about his own experience. How much he hated being in this bigger house because he had nothing.

Nothing…

But… on the other hand… He probably wouldn’t have wanted something else than what he had if Lea hadn’t arrive in his life. He could do with this life, being a bird in a beautiful cage, where he had every right, as long as he didn’t ask for animals or to go outside. As long as he accepted to learn what they wanted him to learn…

And there was another point he didn’t thought about.

That point was love.

He wasn’t exactly loved by his parents. But with love, he could deal with being in a big place. Even a really tiny one.

“Perhaps they loved what you offered them. Perhaps they asked no more than the life they had,” Isa pointed out. “If you think, Madame, they hadn’t fled away, you believe they have been abducted?”

“It’s possible,” she said.

She got up and moved away in another room as Isa watched the flames liking the metal, heating the water in it.

When she came back, she had a sheet of paper in her hand. On it, a drawing of her cats with a reward for whoever would find them.

Extremely high reward.

“It’s perhaps stupid,” she muttered. “I need them. They’re the only one heating my life. I hesitated for the reward because… Isn’t it what they waited for?” she asked, talking more to her than to him.

She didn’t leave often her home but she knew it was a known thing that her cats were everything for her. That she would do anything for them. Giving her entire fortune if needed…

She didn’t care for her fortune, if she had them with her.

“It’s not stupid at all, Madame. Perhaps it is, indeed, what they expected you to do. However, if your cats come back to you, whatever the way, it’s what we want. I will help you, Madame. I’ll trawl after your cats and, as soon as I will find them, I will be there,” he promised.

“Please… It’s all I wish.”

Isa smiled slightly. When he saw her look, her sorrow, he only had the feeling he was looking in an extra-distorting mirror. He should have been just like her when he lost everything. He was coming from the wealthy ones and had just a reason to keep living, a reason torn apart from him, leaving him so empty.

He was still surprised he could actually live.

Yes, he had a new reason and his Heart was filled with remorse, sorrow, revenge… Darkness. But anyway, he didn’t thought he was able to survive this lost…

And there, he felt somewhat relieved she didn’t notice they had the same way of talking. He didn’t want anyone to discover where he came from. He just wanted… just wanted to vanish.

Be a wielder of the Keyblade.

A helpful hand until the day he’ll vanish.

Nothing else.


	11. Chalumeau

What Isa really did expect was to wield his Keyblade and uses it in order to protect World or resolve a really complicate enigma. What he did was… absolutely not using his Keyblade and just walking around the town, looking everywhere. Every tiny corner, in the streets, under the bridge, in the trashes…

Searching.

Just searching.

It was what he did.

For hours. Until the day turned orange-ish, the time becoming colder.

The time was turning colder too and it was, maybe, the moment to find those cats before they’d die, all frozen…

As they walked, he was quite annoyed to have Yen Sid’s old clothes on his back because his arms were naked and the fresh wind was swirling in the tiny hairs, raising them. He already hated this outfit but here, it was the worst…

He noticed Sunlight shivering and crouched to her, calling the Dream Eater.

She ran to him and jumped in his arms. He got up, trying to keep her warm, hugging her tenderly.

At this moment, he could only thing about Lea, who else, because he was always so warm… It would have been so delightful if he hugged them. Hugged him.

He tightened a little his grip over the Meow Wow and… suddenly froze.

Wait… Meow Wow couldn’t suffer the cold time…

Something was happening…

Flames were coming from Axel’s body and Zexion was snuggling in his arms. Thought there was leather between them, it kept him warm and that was all he asked now. The night was really cold here. In The World That Never Was, it seemed there were no climate so it wasn’t difficult to stay more or less warm and their previous World, the World they were born in, thought you could say a lot of bad thing about it, only had really warm and soft time. Nothing like here.

Axel didn’t need to take care of Zexion that way, and yet, he did.

And it was almost ironical.

They were here to sow doom and he was seting fire around him as he walked but he was taking care of the little boy he was holding.

What they have to do here?

Just waiting someone, making sure he’d become their pawn.

Axel walked, following Zexion’s gestural indications. He could feel the Darkness wherever he wished it and so could show them the way to follow. Not to help them, the one they were searching was moving.

A lot.

And since they knew nothing about this World and Zexion didn’t talk, it wasn’t easy to just find that ball of promising Darkness.

Axel just followed the finger showing him the way. Sometimes, he would have to change the direction at the last second, but it wasn’t a problem. Especially because Zexion could only know the general direction and they couldn’t just walk through walls.

Walking again and again, they finally arrived to a slim man vibrating with so many Darkness, Axel could sense it.

“Eh!” he called.

The man glanced at them and didn’t pay more attention.

Lea knew being a teenager wasn’t at his own advantage. Most of the time, people just didn’t care about you because they saw you as totally insignificant. Especially when the evil was snaking in their Heart. Because, with a child in his arms, people more bathed by Light would have cared. At least for Zexion…

“Eh?!” Axel called again.

“Shut up, kiddo,” the man replied.

He was fidgeting, seeking for something.

What? Axel didn’t care. He would care as much for the guy than him for them if he hadn’t this mission. It was only in his interest to be an efficient member of the Organization. It was the only thing assuring him that Xemnas wouldn’t transform him in a Dusk. He needed his own body if he wanted to find Isa.

He will find him one day.

Isa never came for him but he could go for him…

A vicious part within him wanted to make suffer Isa because he left him in such a Horror but the other just couldn’t hurt Isa. It was the one cherishing those memories. And he had to get all of this memorized. Very much. Because when the ersatz of his feelings would disappear, he highly doubted he could simply forgive Isa. Deep inside, he knew Isa did his best and was searching him, probably. But that part of him was so evil, so wrong, it couldn’t see it.

In fact…

He doubted Isa would only want him if he was left without memories…

That one Isa would hate was already so much anchored in his chest…

“I’m talking to you,” he said, putting down Zexion, making him float again in the fold of his coat.

“And I’m not talking to you.”

“We have to see you.”

Zexion gathered the bottom of the soft leather and moved back. He tried to use his power and have the man on their side but it wasn’t that easy. He was sure Xemnas kept sending him in mission to force him to use his power but until now, it was only failure and failure because except when he was doing Nightmare, it seemed he wasn’t able to use his power.

On the other hand, the man turned toward Axel, rising his hand.

“I told you to shut up!” he said, moving it quickly toward the cheek peppered with freckles.

Zexion blinked, his eyes being wide, and his hands balling around the leather of his outfit.

The man stopped just at a few centimeters from Axel’s cheek, gulping with difficulties.

Just in front of him, there was a Demon, smiling to him as a sharped edge was just pressed under his chin. One movement and his skin would break and scarlet would flow. He also saw tiny flames care around. How was it possible? From where this was coming? Either the flames or that strange weapon?

“I told you we have to see you, Sir,” Axel smiled. “You don’t mind?”

The man gulped again.

Of course, he didn’t mind.

He wouldn’t talk back in such a situation. Especially not when money was waiting for him. So many money you couldn’t wish for more.

Well… if you were greedy like him, you could always, of course!

“Either you accept to help us, or my friend would take care of you. Here!” Axel gestured toward Zexion. “Say hello to my little friend!” he smiled.

Zexion stared at their target.

The man wanted to spat ‘what two child can do to me’ but, in fact, if he talked, he was afraid he’d pierce his flesh. Hence the reason he stayed absolutely mute…

“Zexy, it’s when you wanna.”

Zexion couldn’t.

Axel understood what it was not to wield their own power. It was because of that Xigbar could have manipulated him so well the first days. For Zexion, he wanted the total contrary. He wanted him to be able to fight against Xemnas if ever…

Somewhat… Zexion could sense this.

Maybe because of the way his Darkness suddenly acted?

Maybe…

Zexion tried to control the Darkness, his control over the reality… Blood could start dripping on the floor very soon or he could just make that person decide to follow their ideas…

“What’s happening, Sunlight?”

The Meow Wow let out a deep squeak and shook even more before jumping on the floor.

Isa frowned and moved after her.

He already had noticed she was able to detect things and would show it to him, to help him, but this time, it was strange. When he had her in his arms, he could have noticed her fur was slightly less colorful. It was really not much but he did notice it anyway… and her reaction wasn’t a strange curiosity or her pushing him to come to her. It was… fear? Unease?

He followed her and hugged himself when he realized why.

There was Darkness all around…

He wasn’t good to detect it but this one was really fearsome.

“Sunlight, we have to find those cats and quick,” he said.

The Meow Wow replied with a squeak and, bouncing, started to run. Isa still running after her. Sometimes, she would squeak or shiver… There was something… something he couldn’t understand in the air. If only he was stronger. If only he could talk about that with Yen Sid but it was beyond his skills…

As they were running, the Night spreading its veil over the town and the weather becoming colder every minute, Isa still looked around. He even called the name of the cats, hoping they would reply. They weren’t written on the poster talking about a reward because the old lady was too afraid of what people could do with that. But he received those names and he could call them, hoping for them to come to him…

Out of the blue, Sunlight disappeared in front of Isa’s eyes. He knew the spell so he wasn’t surprised but he was glad she had done it in front of his eyes.

It was a great idea.

If the cats were hiding themselves because they were too worry…

And if they were searching that way, Isa still followed the idea of a filthy abduction. But she had no idea about who.

At his point, it could be anyone.

She was very rich and the city was very poor…

Isa felt pain in his muscles. And he was used to train longtime, at every moment of the day and even sometimes the night, so for having pain, he must push a lot on his limbs.

But, finally…

Finally, he heard squeak in front of a door.

He ran to it even if the night was setting a little bit more every second. Isa stopped in front of it and tried to open the door. It was locked.

If only he had the key!

As he thought this, Sunlight reappeared and stared at him. As if she was trying to tell him something.

“Wh…” he started, crouching to her.

And stopped.

Suddenly, he realized.

Suddenly, he understood that look…

He let his Keyblade appear and moved away to hold out the huge weapon. A beam came out and hit the lock, opening it.

Isa entered, Sunlight on his heels.

It was very dark inside… so Dark.

“Duchess? Marie? Berlioz? Toulouse?” he called, moving in.

Sunlight bounced as she moved toward the stairs. Some cracks were hearable upstairs. Isa tightened his grip around his Keyblade because he didn’t know if this was cats or this thing that afraid Sunlight earlier.

The Darkness was still very present here.

He could feel them, which was frightening.

“Duchess? Mar…”

“Meow?”

From the stairs, there was a beautiful and fluffy white cat coming down. She was followed by three little kittens and… one ginger he didn’t know at all. It looked like a stray cat…

“Greeting. I’m coming from your Mistress Bonfamille,” he explained.

He was talking with cats and it was quite weird. Well… he often talked to Sunlight but she seemed to understand him, at least.

Thought…

They were understanding him too, no? They were coming toward him. The little cats more excited than the adults one. Isa crouched next to them and caressed the fur, with the kittens rubbing against his fingers.

“Can you look for a box or something?” he asked to Sunlight.

She squeaked and moved away.

“I’ll take care of you,” Isa added to the cats. “I’ll bring you to your Mistress.”

All of five, it seemed so.

He heard a sound, a hiss, as the stray cats went on his toes, the fur totally ruffled.

“What’s happening?”

He turned his head and… everything went blur.


	12. Hot-blood

A Corridor of Darkness opened against a wall, as if it invited to come inside the House itself.

At a few pace from there, Edgar Balthazar, had his eyes empty. Just tiny ball lost in the away. This wasn’t exactly what they expected when Zexion started to use his power to bend the reality, and the conscience, of this guy, but that was what they get.

“Do you think it’ll work if we leave?” Axel asked, his hand on his hip.

Zexion turned his head toward him then toward the man. He slightly nodded though, in fact, he wasn’t sure at all… it was more a try. But… if he had to use his power, for whoever, that was something he needed to know. Could he control them across the World? How many could they control him?

They just needed to be sure he’d be the heir of the fortune of Adelaide Bonfamille. Once it’d be done, Axel would come back. Honestly, he could have done it himself, killing the cats, killing the old woman and then that Edgar but he didn’t want to kill cats! And nothing forced him to kill an old woman, not even the opulence she lived in. Certainly not Xemnas’ orders…

Xigbar could maybe manage to make him yield because he seemed to always have the right words, but he didn’t do it.

Well… maybe it will come when the heritage would be on Edgar’s head?

Their part of the ‘contract’ was done. Edgar was moving in the town. He had to find those cats…

Zexion clenched his hands around the folds of his coat.

“Axel…” he whispered.

Axel turned his head toward him with surprise. It was so rare to hear him talk, after all. It was quite an honor. And he didn’t know why _he_ deserved it.

“He will kill the cats?” Zexion asked with a voice a little bit hoarse, because he was talking for the first time since so long.

Or maybe it was just the situation deserving it?

“We should go back in that Citadel,” the redhead said.

“He will…” Zexion said in a low voice.

“Come,” Axel pressed on, walking to the Corridor of Darkness.

“What if we go to protect them? We could save them…”

“Xemnas won’t let us, Zexy. You know it.”

“We can hide them!”

Axel put his knee on the floor. He frowned and looked toward the man walking slowly toward the edge of the street.

“Maybe you can ask him to do something else than killing them?” he offered.

“You think I can?”

“You do what you want… as long that Edgar manage to have the heritage. Then I’ll kill him. Aaaand get you those cats!”

“I like the idea!!!”

Axel smiled and lift him in his arms before walking toward the Corridor of Darkness, letting the World disappear in his back.

Edgar, instead of killing those cats, sedated them and brought them in the countryside to abandon them. He came back to the big Mansion and said to his Mistress the cats had disappeared and she started to search them.

She offered such a big reward, he hesitated to find the cats himself and have the said reward.

But something within him forced to continue.

Be sure the cats will be disappeared forever. Be sure the old woman would die of sorrow…

Everything was supposed to be as he planned but a kid came.

So he followed it.

Because he was obsessed by the idea of having the cats lost forever.

If one of those forcing him to do that would know it, things would have been really different.

First, Isa and Axel would find each other and they will be together again. Maybe Isa could run away with him. Whatever what he swore to Yen Sid because his Heart was still languidly screaming after Lea…

But things were as they were.

And he entered in the old house where the teenager was entering, following him as he called the cats.

At the exact moment he saw the cats coming down the stairs, he knew he was about to lose everything. What was in his mind and his own Darkness made him grab a shovel and hit the teenager.

Something within him refused to kill the cats but nothing was echoing in his mind about teenagers…

At the moment the shovel hit Isa’s head, everything become blur.

“ISAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

It was Lea’s voice.

It was coming through time to reach him. His view became blurred too that day. And everything was spinning as he lost grab on the reality, falling on the floor. It was like that day…

“ISAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

Memories were echoing in his mind, so many smiles, so many laugh, soft looks and tender hugs. All of them were disappearing in that scream. Vanishing.

If he let the numbness and the blackness catch him, he wouldn’t lose him again but the cats…

The cats…

Not this time.

Green surrounded him and he heard a squeak as he rose up, his Keyblade appearing in his hand as he was giving a big punch in his jaw. Scarlet colored their both face. Isa could have hit more but he heard another squeak and looked down to Sunlight. The big white cat just jumped on the floor and moved to her kittens. Sunlight was now in front of them, protecting them. She squeaked again.

Isa heard the _woosh_ in the air and moved his Keyblade, blocking the shovel just before it touched him…

His look was strange, lighter but… in a kind of bad light…

His Keyblade hit strongly the shovel, breaking it in two. There was a sound being him, a hiss. But he didn’t listen to it. He was just in a blur. A constant blur. The only thing he could hear was that sound in his ear. Lea’s voice. And the only thing he could see was those vanishing images. Lea’s image. Hate and rage was swirling in his guts, triggered by his memories.

He didn’t hear or see anything but just that…

The smile, the bit green eyes he wanted to drown in.

“ISAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”

The smile vanished, the screams vanished. And… pursued but it wasn’t the right voice anymore?

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

Isa could hear the hisses, the squeaks.

He could see.

He could see the man lying on the floor, scarlet all around him. Scarlet on his Keyblade, on his own hands… moving his fingers, he realized he had some on his face, even some locks of his hairs were red. As if they tried to reach Lea…

When he looked toward Sunlight, her eyes had changed.

It arrived often. But usually, she was between two form, healing or defensive one. This one was different and it said to him she was ready to attack.

Attack who?

Him?

Of course, him. The man was on the floor. He didn’t move anymore. And Isa could feel he had more Darkness raising within him…

His Heart was aching him in the wrong way.

But… he doubted it existed a correct way.

“I’ll bring the cats to their Mistress and…” Isa stared the man, lying on the floor. “… what should I do with him?”

The Meow Wow squeaked.

If it was a reply, the young wielder couldn’t understand it. And there was no way to warn someone… Maybe he could try to heal the man?

But… he was dead. He was certainly dead. And he was lost… Could he still wield a Keyblade that way? Darkness was gathering, more and more as he felt the fear climb within him.

What should he do if…

His Heart felt weirder to him when he realized he was afraid that Yen Sid would thought he wasn’t the one he expected and he would throw him away.

He wasn’t even afraid not to have somewhere to live.

Just to be pushed away by Yen Sid…

His legs shaking, he walked to a box and grabbed it before coming back to the cats, crouching.

“You’re okay to come in? I will bring you back to your Mistress.”

He saw the mom cat looking toward the man still on the floor. He couldn’t go very away from there.

Honestly, it was weird for Isa. He was afraid, terrorized and… and in the same time it was feeling as if it was normal to him?

_Normal._

He couldn’t help but remember those awful Nightmares he didn’t have anymore… He saw Lea killing people in there, with Braig calling him Axel. He didn’t dream about it since he had Sunlight but, on the other hand, someday, he felt so empty. And that the Darkness would spread… and now, even with the charm, he had the feeling… the feeling that they wouldn’t spread because this was… was… common?

But…

He never killed someone before.

Don’t he?

His mind was so blur and he could hear Sunlight squeak with worries as she was pushing the cats in the box.

He approached it, after a last glance to the body, and he grabbed the box full of cats. He tried to wear his fake smile but he just couldn’t.

“You risk nothing,” he muttered.

Tried again to smile but realized it was just vain. He did his best not to look toward the Butler before moving toward the door, Sunlight bouncing after him.

Napping was everything Axel could do to make times flew. And when he was sleeping he wasn’t doing what Xemnas expected from him. But it has nothing interesting. He didn’t rest himself, he didn’t dream…

Napping was everything Axel could do but there was just more emptiness, more vain moments for his, no, body without any Heart so… why did he saw something appearing in his mind? Why suddenly, he could see someone approaching Isa and hitting him very hard?!

“ISAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!” he called.

Did Isa react to his voice?

Of course not, it was just… a Nightmare. He knew it was just a Nightmare when he saw him summon a Keyblade and start to hit that man. That man who looked just like Edgar… well, looking like Edgar before the hard weapon started to disfigure him.

“ISAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

If only he could stop him.

He didn’t want him to let dirt slide on his hands. He didn’t want to see the blood filth his being. Even if he couldn’t see Isa anymore, he wanted to preserve him. Wanted to protect him.

“ISAAAAAAAAAAAAA…”

Something shook him, and he summoned fire and Chakram.

“Axel…”

The redhead blinked and stared Zexion, his tiny hand on his shoulder, looking him without being scared even if he had a sharp peak under his chin.

“Why are you talking so much around me?” Axel smiled. “Do you like me that much?”

He let his weapon vanish.

“I’m forced to talk to you,” the child replied. “I lost the connection with the man…”

It was strange for him because he had kept it for three days and he had his thoughts coming in his head sometimes… which worsened his Nightmares. He was a Nobody so he couldn’t _exactly_ have Nightmares but his head was always filled with awful things and, with that connection, it became more vivid…

“I think he’s dead.”

“I see…”

Axel got up from the bed.

“What about the cats?” Zexion asked, looking worry.

“I’ll take care of that!” Axel smiled. “I’ll take of everything! Got it memorized?” he said, pressing his finger against his temple.

And with his other hand, he opened a Corridor of Darkness.

He always felt like saying ‘got it memorized’ to Zexion was dangerous because he was able to read the subtext ‘Don’t forget me. Don’t forget what I’ve done for you.’

Before Zexion could just point that out, he passed through the Corridor of Darkness. Just where his dream set. He walked to the door and pressed his hand against it. He closed his eyes.

“ _Be there, Isa. Be there…”_ he begged.

He pushed open the door and…there was just Edgar on a corner of the room. He was lying on his blood, not moving. Yet, Axel had been trained for six months. He was able to see when someone was dead or not… Not in a look but more in a quick Darkness evaluation… he still have to train even if this training disgusted him. And yet, he slid in…

He could know this guy was alive.

Dying but alive.

He let his chakram appear and walked toward him.

“Did you see a cute boy, more or less my age?” he asked.

The man opened his eyes in a moment and watched him with hope.

“You…”

“Did you see him?” Axel crouched. “The cutest guy ever? Blue hair, blue-green eyes… Looking like you piss him off all the time…” He allowed a smile. “But with the most beautiful smile ever. Did you saw him?” he added, more serious.

The man nodded slightly. He wouldn’t describe him that way but yes, he saw that blue haired guy…

“Where is he?”

This time, Edgar shook his head. Of course, he didn’t know. He was at the edge of his death when the teenager left. With the cats. He did all of that for nothing…

“Can’t you know where is my Isa?!” Axel roared.

The man shook his head.

Axel smirked and flames came from his body.

“Bye bye,” he said.

“STOP!”

Axel turned his head toward the opening. His heart skipped a beat.

Well… it would. If he had a Heart.


	13. Smoke signal

As soon she heard the sound of the bell ringing in her house, Adelaide Bonfamille rushed to the door. Each time, she was only hoping one thing: the return of her cats. She couldn’t hope for more. However, until now, it has been the mailman and someone asking if they would really have the money offered. When they went back a few moments later, the cats he was proposing to her didn’t even look like those on the paint…

She had hesitated to take the cats anyway because she was afraid of what could happen to them…

But now, now she was hoping again.

Hoping every time she had to open the door.

Hoping now that she opened the door. And her Heart skipped a heartbeat, the joy overwhelming her.

“Duchess!! Berlioz! Marie! Toulouse!”

Meowing of joy, the cats jumped in her arms. She hugged them tightly, crying of joy.

“Oh my God! Oh my dear God! You brought them back!”

“Miiiw?”

Adelaide Bonfamille looked down to the box and saw a ginger cat who would need a good bath to find back his beauty…

“You found another cat?”

“He was with them and I believe your cats wanted to stay with him. He doesn’t look… fierce.”

“He doesn’t look fierce at all. If my cats love him, I love him too,” she smiled.

Isa did his best to wear a fake smile.

She probably must have noticed it anyway because she extended her hand and touched his shoulder lightly.

“Come inside, I’ll prepare some tea and give you the reward.”

“Madame, I didn’t do that for the reward,” he replied, still holding the box even if he’d prefer hug himself.

His mind was still confused after everything that happened with the man.

Should he talk about that to her?

He had whipped as much blood as he could but you still can see some. Fortunately, the lady didn’t notice it. Or was too polite, too grateful to say so…

“But you brought back my treasure,” she said. “Let me offer you something. A tea and some francs so you could offer yourself something. Candies? Biscuits?”

Isa shook his head.

“Really, Madame, is not useful.”

“Bought something for your cat?” she invited as she let them come inside. “You don’t have to worry. I’ve enough money.”

He had a sad smile at this mention. He knew that pretty well, yes… He didn’t want money, especially not this amount of money. He never needed it and would have preferred life in the streets sometimes. But…

“I’d be okay to accept a little of money. However just a little.”

“How much do you want?” she asked. “Ten thousands?”

Isa almost choked with his saliva. Either she was really rich or she really wanted to thank him… Even him, when he was living with his parents, he wouldn’t have given such amount of money to Lea. He would have done it if he could, obviously, because he loved Lea so much… but his parents wouldn’t. For anything in the World. Because it would have been too much. Way too much…

“I just would like three hundreds? Maybe four… Not much more.”

She looked him as if he didn’t ask more than a bite of bread. And it was the case. He didn’t need more…

“I’m going to prepare tea,” she said.

She let the cats run in the house. They needed it. But, too happy to see her back, they were mostly rubbing themselves against her, rolling around the ankles, meowing and purring…

She leaded him in the living room and then when in the kitchen to prepare the tea and then get the money she promised him.

Isa put down the box on the floor and hugged himself, as he needed it. The Meow Wow jumped on the sofa, just next to him. She rubbed her head against him, just like the cats had done it with their Mistress. Isa caressed Sunlight with his fingertips. He was still lost in regard of that whole situation…

Having killed someone…

The door’s bell rung.

Once.

Twice.

“Madame?” Isa called.

“Yes?” she said, coming with the tea service.

“It rung at the door,” he pointed out.

Adelaide Bonfamille hesitated. Should she open the door to them? It was certainly someone trying to trick her to have a huge amount of money…

She gave the little amount of money to Isa, pressing her fingers on his to make him close his hand on the money, making sure he wouldn’t change his mind… She was about to say she’ll leave it like that, who could come except those rats wanting her money, when it rung again. With more insistence.

Her expression showed her desire not to go at the door at all.

“The tea is coming,” she said with a smile.

“I can…”

He didn’t have the chance to finish his offer, the lady had already disappeared, followed by the cats meowing. The one keeping his distance was, obviously, the stray cat…

Isa caressed Sunlight with his shaking fingers…

He saw a shadow spreading above him and looked up. But what was in front of him was nothing looking like a nice old lady…

“Master Yen Sid?!” he gasped.

He got up, almost making fall Sunlight. And then, he glanced toward the door where the old lady will soon come from.

“Ease yourself, Isa,” the man said. “I saw you accomplished your mission…”

“You can’t miss a thing,” Isa said with a nervous chuckle.

He fight against the need to hug himself and didn’t even watched Sunlight as she squeaked.

“You saw… everything?” he asked.

“I could feel Darkness,” Yen Sid said.

There was sound coming from the kitchen.

“We should talk about this somewhere else,” the old Master supposed.

“Master…”

A cloud surrounded them and when it disappeared, they were on Yen Sid’s office. Sunlight rolled on the floor with satisfaction as Isa walked quickly to the big moon-shaped window. From there, he could see the World and even the Gummi Ship…

Yen Sid had kept an eye on him.

Of course he knew…

“That was rude,” he said.

“Rude?”

“Madame Bonfamille and I were talking and she was about to offer me tea…”

“I believe the subject we’re about to have is more important.”

Isa clenched his fists. “The Darkness you felt were the mind…” He pushed the money in his deep pocked. “I don’t know… I don’t know what happened there but when I was able to think and act…”

Isa walked away from the window and paced in the office. Sunlight bounced on her tiny paws and ran to her friend and master, rubbing her head against his calves.

Yen Sid was silent, waiting for him to talk, to say the words when he’ll feel ready for it.

Isa thought it was judgement. Maybe hate coming…

He didn’t want to disappoint him and it was really strange for him. Until now, the only person he felt that way, that was with Lea…

“I think I killed him,” he said, turning toward Yen Sid. Tears were gathering in his eyes. “I’m not the wielder of Light you believe I’m. I belong to the Darkness…”

“Darkness is flirting with you, indeed. But you’re fighting and you’re afraid of them. You can control it, Isa.”

“I don’t think I want to, Master Yen Sid…”

“Isa…”

“The Darkness is the only thing that can let me approach lea. I had the feeling, I…”

“It’s the Moon,” Yen Sid said. “The Moon wasn’t the one you were used to. The Moons react with you because you’re deeply bonded with it. This one was different and made you react differently. What you believed being caused by your desire to be with Lea was just your body reacting to another Moon, trying to get along with it.”

Isa blinked at those.

He was both eased and so sad…

He wanted to reach Lea…

“You need to rest yourself. Tomorrow, we will train your affinity with the Moon, you have to be able to control it to avoid diving in such a state again. Or I’ll have to ask you to remain in this World longer.”

“I understand, Master…”

Isa lowered his head and then his body to grab Sunlight. He walked out of the tower. This changed nothing if not hurting even more his Heart… He wanted to breath out that it wasn’t fair but he just wanted to rest himself. And, if Yen Sid was ready to forgive him, be sure not pour oil on the flame…

Yen Sid waited for Isa to leave his office then, in a cloud of fumaroles, he disappeared to be on the place Isa was when he saw the case being solved…

He needed to know if the man could be saved. He needed to protect Isa from his own Darkness, ease him with the good new of that criminal still being alive. That he did nothing bad, in the end…

“Can’t you know where is my Isa?” roared a voice.

Yen Sid pushed open the door quickly, ready to use his magic, to bend the Moon to his will. He saw Isa’s friend over that butler, ready to kill him.

“Bye bye!” he smiled.

“STOP!”

Isa’s friend, Lea… Axel jumped at this word. His eyes weren’t green anymore but golden and he had powerful mark of magic under the said eyes. Eyes widened by surprise.

“You…” he muttered.

“Don’t do that,” Yen Sid commanded.

“He’s dying. I’m just being nice,” Axel mocked.

“Don’t kill him. If you’re able to have the slightest feeling, for the sake of Isa…”

Axel raised, looking him, the peak of the Chakram entering slightly in his skin.

“I can’t have feeling, but I got them very memorized. That’s what makes me special,” he said. “And, if I don’t kill him, he will die anyway. And Isa would have killed him. If I kill him, Isa would have done nothing.”

“There is a possibility we can save him.”

“The asshole or Isa?” Axel walked toward Yen Sid. “Where is he?”

“I won’t say it to you,” Yen Sid replied.

He walked by him, coming to the poor Edgar, laying in his blood. He heard the sound of the fire cracking and licking the air.

“Why wouldn’t you? What are you doing with him? If you dare touch a hair of his head…” he threatened in a cold voice.

“He made the vow to kill you,” Yen Sid replied.

The Chakrams slipped from his hands and hit the ground with a disturbing sound. Axel wanted to cry and beg but he couldn’t. He couldn’t cry and his pride was the only thing he still had… and the way it had grown within him was such he would hate himself if he cried in front of someone. Even for Isa…

“You’re lying,” he roared.

“You’re a damned soul. You have no Heart, just an empty body filled with Darkness,” Yen Sid replied, turned toward him. His hand moved, green fumaroles swirling toward Edgar to ease his wounds. “He made the vow to save you, to kill you to stop your endless suffer.”

Axel called back his Chakrams and walked toward the man, fire still dancing around him.

“Why don’t you let him do? I guess you’re proud of what you’ve made of him?”

Yen Sid closed his eyes. One second. He knew this was his oeuvre. He also knew Isa wouldn’t hesitate if he’d see his best friend like that. It wasn’t the boy he was talking about, a smile on his lips and love filling his eyes. This boy was an assassin… nothing more.

“Once he would have killed you, he will kill himself.”

Axel twitched at those words and his weapons almost fall on the floor, once again. He couldn’t have emotions, perhaps, but what he had really memorized was screaming at him at that mere idea.

“Why… Why don’t you kill me and let him believe he will do it one day? You would preserve him forever.”

Axel’s tone had changed. There was no hate, no anger, no mockery… just suffer…

Yen Sid watched him as he talked and he could only saw the blue jewel shone in the center of Axel’s tongue… The twin of the one Isa had mysteriously wanted a few days ago. If he still had doubt, now everything was clear.

Sadly clear.

“Why are you here, boy?” Yen Sid asked.

Axel watched Edgar, his wounds healed but his body still weak. Not for the cats Zexion wanted to protect… He could have found any stray cat for him and it would be enough… And one stray cat would be easier to sneak in the Citadel than a whole bunch.

“I knew he was here. I knew what he had done…”

“That’s not normal,” Yen Sid stated. “That’s the reason I can’t save you from your sad destiny.” He stared him with piercing eyes. “Stay away from him. Forever. You only do bad to him. Every of your act…”

Axel’s hands shivered at this mention, knowing how much his body was covered by blood in the sake of people he didn’t even like.

“You’re lying…” he said, trying to convince himself.

“Disappear, Lea.”

Axel looked up at him. “I can have a Heart.”

Yen Sid frowned. “You’re nothing, you can’t…”

Axel’s lips turned in a sad smirk. Since six months, he did his best to avoid every plot coming from Xemnas and though he was bad at this, he managed to ignore his real plans, even to scupper them. However, now, the man said to him the only way he had to be with Isa was to jump blindly in Xemnas’ stupid plans?

Darkness rolled around him, licking his skin, as much as the flames coming from him.

“We sure meet again,” he said to him. Once they’ll have Kingdom Hearts. Once he’ll have a Heart and would be worthy enough to hug Isa and say to him what he could never tell because he was just an empty shell… “Got it memorized?”


	14. New flames

“Isa!”

It wasn’t the first time the voice echoed against the walls, asking to Isa to hurry up. The Stars were disappearing. Of course, he had to hurry up but it wouldn’t be few minutes that would change everything neither…

He knew he had to hurry up but, in contrary, he wanted to take all his time. Not being stubborn, not having a mean vendetta or anything. He just needed time. A lot of time. He pushed up his very resistant boots. Fauna said they were made with real Dragon’s scales. He wasn’t sure about that… and yet, it was very possible. He had a hard resistant trousers mostly made with leather and his top was a turtle-neck following the outline of his muscles, giving the impression he had a second skin, letting appear his pectorals. He also had a black belt with elixir, potions and other flacons, the golden buckle had a red jewel in the center and he loved that really much. His belly still wore the most powerful charm against Darkness but he received, anyway, a red ribbon and he used it to tie his hair in a bun. He kept them on place with hairpin.

His fingers, covered with mittens, approached the precious yellow scarf. He caressed it slowly, a little smile on his lips. The time had stolen the most beautiful smell from it but nothing could steal away the memories… The so sweet memories within it…

Maybe it was a bad idea but he tied the precious scarf around his neck.

His outfit was pretty stern and dark but this brought an immediate tone of bright color. Just like Lea. His Heart felt warmer now…

Fauna had also placed a long coat in his bed and he so he took it and slid it on his back.

“Isa!”

Sunlight squeaked at his feet, looking him with big green eyes. This had always been one of his favorite color but she wasn’t doing him any honor here. She was ready. The tiny Meow Wow that struggled to reach his calves when she wanted to rub herself against him was now big.

Almost five years had passed now since that sad day where his Keyblade appeared in his hand for the first time. Almost five years where he struggle for something he wasn’t even sure he wanted to reach…

“ISA?!”

The door opened on Merryweather, her cheeks puffed. He turned his head toward her and she lost her bad temperement for a few seconds. And had it back, her skin being red.

“You’re making us losing time! It’s time!” she said.

She flew at him and patted his outfit, chasing the very rare dust bunny.

“They should have make you a blue outfit,” she said.

“I won’t make jealous with this outfit,” he replied. “And my hairs are still blues.”

“It’s true!” she said, seeming happier. She pressed his cheeks in her tiny hands, smiling. “Look at you. You’re a man! We got you so young…”

Isa grinned softly.

He was used to that. When it wasn’t Merryweather, it was Flora and when the rest of the time, it was Fauna, looking him dreamily and remembering when ‘he was just a child’.

“Everybody is waiting for you.”

“My apologizes, I was getting myself prepared.”

She wanted to show him affection but stopped herself. She got enough pain in her Heart with Aurora and she get cautious with him.

“You’re doing the right thing. Two minutes left and no more!” she said.

“Yes!”

Isa smiled at her. And so she smiled back. In the Tower, they all agreed in one thing: Isa had the brighest smile. Maybe not brighter than Aurora but sure he had it in the Tower’s habitants. And they loved this smile similar as the Sun. They loved his hard-working attitude and this constant positivity.

If only they knew…

Because, as soon as Merryweather had left Isa’s room, he lost his smile.

He looked down toward Sunlight who was waiting next to him, proud and ready to fight alongside him. He still could remember when she accompanied him but wasn’t bigger than a big kitten, being just a baby… she could attack but it was rare and now, she grew to be ready to assist him whatever happened. She even had a collar with moons printed in.

“Let’s go,” he said to her.

She squeaked and instead of boucing as she often does, she walked with him, gracious.

_Knock knock knock._

“Eh, Sleeping Beauty?!”

Two eyelids lifted immediately on two golden eyes, staring the ceiling. Sleeping Beauty… it was an irony when Legends talked about this special one. They said a kiss had woke her up from her sleep. A true love kiss. He would do anything to sleep until the only one for his absent Heart would kiss him. This would be better, honestly…

He got up, daydreaming of a soft kiss on his lips, on the tender embrace of Isa. He grabbed a ribbon to tie his hairs because they were getting really longer and for now, they annoying him a bit. Especially when he didn’t arrange them as usually. He hadn’t time for this. But he had time to put on a coat on his naked torso, on his naked endless legs, and close it. And, especially, he had time to lean in and press a kiss on the tiny forehead of his only and favorite toy: Amber Angelic.

They said it existed a World where toys could talk and move. He wished it was true and he could bring her there, honestly…

But would she likes him?

He wouldn’t like him.

Since four year and half, he just wanted to have a Heart back and did his best for that. His best to be worthy of the only love mattering but he was losing every inch of what remained of his Humanity…

He walked to the door, his feet still naked, and opened to Xigbar who smirked at him.

“You’re here! I started to believe you flew away. Once again.”

“I’m here,” he replied, pressing his arm against the frame.

Xigbar was still pretty young, he wasn’t much older than forty years old, maybe fifty but Axel doubted it… yet, he had silver striping his hairs and, on the other hand, Axel’s hair were growing faster than he’d thought… both of them often joked about it: it was the perk of being one of Xehanort’s vessel. They were becoming as him. And as his hair were way more long than he never expected to have them one day, he wondered if he would ever be worthy of Isa again.

Maybe Yen Sid was right since the beginning…

He shouldn’t approach Isa.

Let the Destiny pursue his path without him following his path…

“What do you want?” Axel asked to Xigbar, chasing away the sad thoughts.

“Mission.”

“What are we searching, this time?”

“Xemnas want either five other guys as dark as us or seven ladies full of Light.”

“The seven ladies? That’s new?”

“I don’t think it’s exactly new. I already have heard about that but he’s more eager…”

“Do we know how to find that?”

“Nop. If you want my opinion, we’re about to have a lot of fun!” Xigbar turned around and walked to the other side of the corridor. “Here is the stuff. We’re Organization Thirteen but we’re actually Organization Eight so either we found five guys strong enough to resist to the lost of their Heart, so we found them once it’s done. But that’s not easy. And for the ladies. No idea. Just… no Darkness at all within them.”

“No Darkness at all?” Axel had closed his door and he quickly followed the man, whatever he was going to. “Is it possible? Y’all always say…”

“Yeah, yeah, there are Darkness everywhere, hence we can get every Heart. BUT in seven Hearts, it’s not possible.” He made a face. “In eight Hearts, in fact, but that’s a bit complicated.”

“I’m already lost. Listen… just tell me when I’ve to do the icky job and I’ll do it.”

“Oki doki,” Xigbar replied.

“And… what about Kingdom Hearts?”

“We’re still seeking for a Keyblade Wielder to gather enough Hearts. For now, we can only count on that King Mickey and he’s not doing a great job.”

Axel preferred not to talk about Isa. Honestly, he wondered why Xemnas never tried to have an hand over him but he was happy anyway. If the man just _tried_ to touch Isa, he wouldn’t let this happen that way…

He had given his Soul, or what remained of it, for a goal he wasn’t even sure he coulld reach, and it was fine. He could deal with it because… because he never believe he was someone worthy and he did awful things in the paste…

But if ever that man tried, just even tried to touch his precious Isa…

Xemnas had trained an Assassin and he will discover what he had learnt with him and time…

The door opened and Isa could see everybody. Yen Sid, of course, the three Fairis but also Merlin who was less and less here since his World had been lost in the Darkness. And there was also Minnie. Her soft smile was reconfortant. Especially when you know she was alone in her Kingdom, once again. Mickey, helped with Donald and Goody, was doing… who know. He was trying to keep the balance in the Worlds, save those who were about to fall…

It meant a lot to Isa that she was there in the current situation…

He was happy to see all his teachers and thought this was just a soft warm in his Heart, he did his best to look like the sunshine, or the moonshine, they loved so much. Out of politesse. He owned that to them.

Yen Sid got up from his chair and walked toward Isa, sliding his hand on his shoulder.

“Are you ready?”

“I am,” he said.

“You will cross a few World and will need to bring peace in them. Help them to resolve their problems.”

Fauna flew to him, passing in front of Yen Sid and pressing her hands on his cheeks, emotions in his eyes. She was about to cry…

“Be very careful. If there are any problems, call us. Your goal isn’t to…”

“Fauna!” Flora protested.

She let out a choked shriekd sound and tears started to roll along her cheeks. It was important for Isa to become a Master of the Keyblade and her words were about to take away this chance from him. Any help being too big would be seen as cheating.

Especially in this case.

“I will do my best,” Isa said. “I won’t put myself in danger,” he added with a soft voice.

He held her hands and did his best to keep smiling.

Yen Sid extended his hand toward a book.

“Please,” he said.

Isa nodded and let go on Fauna’s hands. But he pressed a kiss on her cheek with another smile.

“We have confidence in you,” Merlin said to him. “Don’t forget the basis!”

Isa nodded again.

He couldn’t really forget them. He learned since five years. His Keyblade was the following of his arms and his magic powerful. Plus, Yen Sid was a really strict teacher. You couldn’t just forget what he taught to you because it became a real part of yourself.

Which was a good thing.

“Keep your Heart as good as it’s always and you can’t fail,” Minnie said. “Good luck.”

“Thank you.” Isa approached his hand from the book. “I’ll try to come back as fast as possible.”

“Yes!” Flora smiled.

“If you see Heartless, beat their asses for me!” Merryweather said.

“I swear,” Isa laughed.

His fingers touched the pages and a powerful but soft light surrounded him, swallowing him.


	15. Rekindle

As soon as the light disappeared around Isa, he felt nothing under him.

He just had the time to realize what was happening that he just fell. He looked down as he summoned his Keyblade, ready to use it as a glider but he noticed the water under him and he just exploded the surface. His Keyblade disappeared and he swam to come through the water, spitting the mouthful he couldn’t help but swallow.

Everything was glooming. The water looked like a shining constellation, the walls, from were vegetations was hanging or running along, were casting bioluminescent gleam and the shore was covered with shiny blueish flowers. Everything was in those tone and shining again and again.

Isa passed his hand in his hairs to check the ribbon was still there.

Yes.

As much as the scarf but that, he would have _feel_ it if it was otherwise.

“Sunlight?” he called.

The Meow Wow squeaked and bounced from the shore, perfectly dry.

“Obviously,” Isa smirked.

He swam to the lakefront and went out of the water. Sunlight jumped on him to lick him, as if that could actually dry him. He didn’t mind, actually, and hugged her, passing his hand in the soft fur. She squeaked as soon as she felt the droplet on her. Isa let out a chuckle but the Dream Eater got her revenge as she shook herself, sending more water on his face. As if he wasn’t wet enough!

Losing his smile, because he didn’t need it here, he took off his clothes to dry them. And while he was doing this, the light around reverberating in the droplets on his skin, the Meow Wow approached from the flowers, snatching one of them to bring it to Isa and hoping cheering him up a bit.

“Thank you,” he said.

He couldn’t do much against the humidity cloaking him now and just slid the flower in his hairs though locks and hairs were pasting against his skin.

“We will go,” he said. “Just in a few minutes.”

He couldn’t help but smirk as he watched the big opening in the ceiling. Yen Sid really made him fall from there? Was it a kind of inner joke? Should he really be prepared for anything?

One of the thing he taught him was to always evaluate the Moon because his magic depended of it.

Perhaps making him unable to already see about the Moon was a part of the plan, of the test? He had to prove he could be a correct wielder in a real situation, not just in a training where anybody could save him if he failed. Even if he said to Fauna he would call her, he knew he couldn’t count on this. He couldn’t cry in her dress every time he had a problem. He knew it was what she expected but… one day, he will have to face Xehanort and he will be all alone.

One day, he will have to face Lea and put an end to him… and he would never be more alone than at this moment…

After a few minutes, Isa put on his clothes. They were still pretty wet but he had no magic that could help him to dry them just because he wished it…

While he was waiting, he had already looked around and could see that a way was possible through a tunnel after the field of flowers…

He took care not to step on them, as he moved and Sunlight followed him, bouncing without taking care of the flowers.

Well…

As he left the place, he arrived into a town that looked directly out of those Fairy Tales Fauna used to read him. Sometimes, she still did it. He was way too old for that but it pleased her to do it and he wanted her to be happy…

A powerful smell of chocolate was swirling from the floor, the Houses were made of gingerbread decorated with different sweet as bubble gum, marshmallow liquid sugar, biscuits… Even the trees were made on sweets. Steam was filling the place but it was a soft steam full of delicious perfume.

And around, everybody was smiling, playing, laughing…

This World didn’t seem to need his help to have light…

Isa walked through this World, Sunlight walking by his side, looking around, seeking the first source of Darkness he could find.

He started to believe Yen Sid mistaken himself. But that seemed impossible…

Once again, it was maybe a part of the training too? Sometimes, Darkness didn’t swallow everything. Sometimes, everything was just bathed by Light and they were invited to protect it or just attest it.

As he walked, some people turned their look toward him. Probably because he was dripping water on that crunchy floor. No one noticed it or at least they didn’t say anything, just smiling widely to him. None said anything. They all looked really friendly but he hadn’t the strenght to smile back to them.

He wondered what he had to do… He couldn’t come to them and as them if they have problems like that. Especially because having problem was something quite personnal… frivolous people would easily ask your help because they thought they have problems when it seemed to be nothing.

On the other hand… maybe his current problem would seen to be non-sense in the eyes of someone else. How could he kept crying over the lose of Lea when he had people as caring and tender as the Three Fairies, Minnie, Yen Sid and Merlin. Without forgetting Sunlight! People would probably kill to have such a DreamEater. Since she was in his life, he never ever again made the slighest Nightmare and she was always there to cheer him up when he was sad.

And yet…

Yet, Lea wasn’t in his life and he would never be since he never forgot his vow. The only way to save him. Often, he wondered if everything would have been different if only he had dared to express his feelings to Lea instead of acting like a friend just because he was afraid to lose him. In the end, he had lost him… and he even didn’t know if they could have shared those feelings… Honestly, he supposed Lea just saw him as a friend, best friend. It was already nice because he only meant to be with him until his last breath, no matter how…

Sunlight rubbed her head against his calves, squeaking softly. She was probably feeling that he was feeling down at this exact moment and he felt a ball gathering in his guts.

“I’m doing alright,” he said to her.

She squeaked even more, as if she was doubting of those worlds.

“Sunlight…” he sighed.

And he heard something that seemed unusual here…

A scream of sadness.

“Come, Sunlight,” Isa called as he followed that scream.

He glanced to search who was in distress and he saw nothing. But the sobs could lead him, in fact. He discovered a lady in a beautiful fluffy purple dress, the veils flying around her in the soft breeze but most strange… she had purple hairs… made in cotton candy. And too much make up but who was he to judge this?

She was crying, her hands being a fist around the purple veils of her dress.

Isa approached her with care. He knew what it was when you cry and someone would arrive. Sometimes, you didn’t want to talk about it. Sometimes, you just wanted to let go on your sadness alone and then it would be good… And if that someone coming around was a stranger?!

God, he remembered his first days with the Three Fairies, Yen Sid and the others…

“Excuse me, Madame?”

She looked up at him and removed a tears, her make up still on place and her eyes filled with despair.

Isa knelt next to her because he learnt that it was better to show respect and be lower than the one you’re talking with when you were a stranger, when you wanted to provide help. You were less imposant, you could be seen as friendly as such…

“Is something wrong?”

“I… I don’t know what to do,” she said. “She’s gone… she’s gone,” she whispered.

She looked mad.

Once again… he could understand that.

“Who’s gone?”

“She…” She pressed her hand over he Heart. “Marie Stahlbaum, our Queen. She left. She abandonned us… Me… I’m nothing without her…”

“Don’t say that. You’re someone. You’re your own someone.”

“I’m not… I’m not and I’m so afraid but…” She wiped away a tear, her make up still as clean as before, as if she hadn’t cry at all. “But you’re not from here, right, sugar?” she said softly.

She had a motherhood tone, a sweet tone…

Isa didn’t need to ask why she could tell that… he knew why. His outfit was significant but Yen Sid himself said it needed a really special magic to change your outfit to accord it perfectly to the World. Of course, he could just gather a lot of clothes with him. Maybe too much…Donald could have helped him, being very used to the said magic but…Donald was with Mickey. And Mickey, once again…no one knew where he was…

“You’re the one sad, Madame. You shouldn’t think about anyone but yourself. If I can do something for you?” he pressed over.

She leaned on him, sadness still on her face but doing her best to smile.

“You can tell it to me, she was also coming from another World. I believe…” She closed her eyes. “You will leave to your own World like her, right?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said, honest.

If she knew about the Worlds yet, he didn’t disturb the order of the Worlds, right?

He hoped so at leat…

The lady watched him at those words.

“Perhaps I’m not the one who could correctly help you if this bringing you bad feelings,” he said, comprehensive.

“As I said…I was everything when she was there and now that she left…” She lifted the lowerest part of her dress and walked out. “I’m nothing… I’m just nothing. My existence is vain and I don’t think I will be able to pursue that way…”

“I understand it’s hard,” Isa said, following her. “But perhaps… you could grow from that?” he tried.

It was quite special for him to say all of this because… it was so hypocretical. He glanced at Sunlight that was walking next to him.

“You don’t understand,” she said. “I’m not… You can’t understand if you don’t know her. You can’t understand if you’re from somewhere else…”

She kept walking.

He kept following her.

“What can’t I understand?”

He didn’t want to share his past.

“My time is arriving at its end,” she replied, turning toward him. “All of this…” She opened her arms. “It’s just toys.”

“Toys?”

She nodded. “Maybe I should invit you to follow me so you would understand but… it would even be better you just leave… you could understand but you can’t do a thing. No one can…”

“I’m here for that,” Isa said. “Do my best to help people like you…”

“Toys?” she asked.

“People needing help,” he replied.

She let out a soft but extremely sad laugh. “Oh sugar, I’m afraid you can’t… The only thing that can keep me…” she shook her head and moved her hand with grace. “All of us alive, it’s the Key… The Key she took with her when she…” You could tell she was fighting not to say ‘abandon’ again… “…left.”

“A Key?” Isa repeated. He shook his head. “Is there any other solutions? She can’t just have decided to give you life to take it away from you like that?”

“I think… she just get bored of us. It was really entertaining for her for longtime but… at some point, she decided it wasn’t important for her anymore. Her visits spaced from each other and each time we waited… I waited…” She pressed her hands abover her Heart. “I would have done anything to make her stay, to keep giving me life…”

She looked on the side.

Isa could sense that, there, she didn’t talk only about that Key’s thing…

“Today, you know she left, is it because it’s too long or…”

“She came back. She had changed and she said she couldn’t come back. Oh…Oh she already talked to us about the King but…”

The lady turned and started walking again. Sunlight followed her, thought Isa could sense she really wanted to get those candies all around, he even saw her lick the floor at a moment. He followed in silence.

“I believe she was expecting. In this case, I understand she doesn’t want to lose time with us. But our Life…” The lady looked down. “I want to believe she didn’t know…”

“Did you tried to warn her?”

“I did but each time she took back the Key. Not in mean purpose. It’s because… Oh, Sugar, I don’t think I should bother you, you’re already so sweet to hear me rumble like that.”

“I told you I’m here to help you Madame. If something is happening and I can help you through it, I will… If you resent fear, I think it’s better to tell it to me. I can help you to fix those things.”

“You’re really sweet.” She pointed her finger with a graceful gesture. “If we’re going there, I can lead you to the Palace. Would you?”

“With pleasure,” Isa replied.

“So it is really important I told it to you,” she whispered, still walking. “Our Realm has been separed in five by Marie. The Palace, in the center, the Land of Flowers, a really beautiful place you would like, ruled by Hawthorne, the Land of Snowflakes ruled by Shiver and…”

A tremblement rolled along her spine and Isa could notice the burgeon of wings appearing.

“The Four Realm.” She leaned into him. “The Land of Amusements. But this name seems so wrong. Mother Ginger, who rules it, hated Marie because she thought Marie believed we were just toys, amusements... and every time the Queen let us, she tried to destroy us, destroy what Marie did… Now that she will never come back, I’m afraid of the worse. But we need to stay alive.”

“I understand,” Isa replied. He held out his hand. “I’m Isa…”

“Oh, I forgot!” she said. “I’m the Sugar Plum Fairy, Regent of the Land of Sweet.”

“So you’re a Fairy. I noticed your wings.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be, please. I know three Fairies,” he said with his fake smile. “I love them.”

“That’s so peachy!! So… you don’t mind if I let my wings free? It’s something I avoid because I don’t want to disturb others…”

“Please, do. The Three Fairies do it all the time.”

“You will be like at home, then?” SugarPlum let out with a laugh.

“Yes.”

Sunlight squeaked happily too. And even more when the transparants wings, with slight purple tone, shone in the Sun. It was really familiar and then reasurring. Though they had visited numerous World to train, they weren’t left really alone since that day were the power of Moon and the Remnant had took over him. Isa always supposed Yen Sid was afraid he would do it again but he had learn.

He didn’t want to let that power overwhelm him again…

“Can I ask who are those Fairies? Maybe I know them?”

Isa was about to say he doubted it but they all were travelling through Worlds and Fairies got special powers.

“They are Fauna, Merryweather and Flora.”

“I don’t know them…”

“It’s nothing to worry about,” Isa replied. “However, I can tell you something… I possess a Key with a special power. I’m not Marie but I can help you.”

SugarPlum covered her face with a surprised hand where pink nails shone.

“You… You really can?”

Isa nodded and… didn’t expect the hug he received. He accepted it though. But stiff. And not really able to do anything else than sending a glare to Sunlight, begging for her help, but she was too busy rubbing her head against his calf… he didn’t know if it was a classic dog or cat behavior there.


	16. Sear

Two beautiful white stalions were dragging a carriage, a carriage white but adorned with so much flowers and sweets it looked like something the Three Fairies would have made for fun. That wasn’t that surprising. A Fairy had made it. Even the horses carrying the cart had been pampered with flowers and thrad of cotton candy…

SugarPlum had them do what they want so Sunlight received the authorization to eat some of those sweet. Isa even gave her some while they were talking. The Regent was giving as much information as she could at Isa, describing the Realm, talking about how they found life… How Marie gave it to them. Of course, she talked a lot about it, she talked about her… about the way she had been a Queen, she had gave them everything and absolutely everything about her… You could sense love in her voice. He wanted to help her and give her what she needed but what could he do?

Just using a Key for her…

As they approached the Palace, they passed on a bridge.

The Castle there was big and you could see it point behind the drawbridge. It was so big and looking look those big building he saw of those lands he used to visit in Worlds or tohers. Moscow? It was red… But a kind of pink red? It promised to be so beautiful when they will have entered the Castle and he also wondered how it was now that live was slightly leaving them. It must be chaos. It must be unbearable…

He could feel Darkness around…

He didn’t judge because he learnt from what Darkness was made…

Neither Yen Sid, the Three Fairies nor Merlin would have accepted him to walk on that path… because he didn’t only try to understand… His power was only there thanks to the Moon. The Moon he could sense here and try to control and he knew about the Dark Side… he knew he had to control it. He knew where Lea was… he tried to understand the Darkness but also tame it. Hence the reason he could sense it.

Neither Yen Sid, the Three Fairies nor Merling would have accepted that… excepted maybe Fauna who already have noticed it but closed her eyes on this. And Minnie, on the other hand, totally accepted it… Helped him through that. Though she was only filled by Light, or almost only, she saw what he wanted to do and tried to understand on which path he wanted to walk. And if she helped him, she could have him back on the right path more easily… She could keep a Light to bring him back from his sad journey…

“IIIIIIIIIIK!!!”

Isa got surprised when SugarPlum suddenly grabbed him.

“What is happening?” he asked, trying to control his breath.

He didn’t like her to touch him like that.

“The mouse! Did you see that mouse?”

Isa looked around, searching a mouse, of an actual normal size, and saw nothing…

“Ooooh… I hate mouses!” she said. “Do you?”

“Hates mouses?” Isa asked. “It depends of which,” he replied with a slight smirk.

SugarPlum couldn’t understand but Sunlight squeaked happily and came on Isa’s lap though they were about to arrive…

He caressed her and watched as they approached.

Two guards were standing on next to the big drawbridge, talking to each other, a large wooden board in one hand with parchemines sheet on it and an old feather.

The carriage stopped next to them.

“Regent Sugar Plum Fairy, if you accept we’re following the procedure?” one asked.

“Protocole,” replied the other, glancing at Sunlight, still on Isa’s lap.

The time was colder here and as soon as the carriage totally stopped, it rolled around them…

“Of course,” the Fairy said.

“Have you been in contact with mice or rodents recently?!”

“No, no. But we saw a mouse there, isn’t it, Isa? Oh! He’s called Isa. And here is…”

“Sunlight. She… is nothing but a mouse,” Isa said as he got up.

He couldn’t stay in a cariage in the entry of a Castle. This reminded all the things his parents would have wanted for him.

Should he talk about Minnie maybe?

“I…” he started.

“Thank you. Do you have cheese or cheese based product on yourself?” the guard asked.

Isa frowned while SugarPlum shook her head.

“Only sweets!”

The Guards laughed and Isa took care about the whole Darkness around…

“How would you describe your sympathy toward rodents in general?”

“I don’t like them at all. Bless us all for pushing them away,” SugarPlum sighed.

Isa noticed they didn’t pay much attention to him, probably because the Fairy was more influent than him and well, it was better. He wouldn’t have to explain that Sunlight has been created by a Mouse and that he took tea with a Mouse!

“The survey is completed!”

“You may pass, please! Law the dawbridge!!!” the other guard shout to the others from inside.

“Ah, Isa, wait for me, please!”

She moved on the side of the carriage and came down before coming to Isa. He offered her his arm because he could sense it was what she expected from him. Together, they walked throught the big opening and she led him to the castle, Sunlight still following. She, once again, looked more imperial now, taking care of her way to move around.

As they walked around, Isa could see a big portrait of the Queen Marie. She was beautiful and very normal, not like the others. Everybody seemed special with strange clothes or even hairs. He could understand no one turned on his way. Usually, people turned over his path because the color of his hairs were unusual but here… no one cared…

SugarPlum was about to tug on Isa’s arm, feeling him slow the pace and she noticed wahat he was looking.

“Isn’t she beautiful?”

“She is.”

“And she was a really great Queen.”

“I have no doubt about this,” Isa replied.

“Please, come, Sugar,” she said. Her face was a sadder now. “I would be afraid you thought she was a Monster.”

“She left but her reasons seem to be logicals.” And he couldn’t go against logic. “I understand,” he said.

She smiled softly.

“About Mother Ginger, I thought…”

“Sugar,” she said. “Not here, please. The Palace is still moved by the whole situation. We knew she wasn’t the goodest one but we thought…”

She closed her eyes and reopened them to lead Isa. Which quickly hissed discretely Sunlight, taking care of her pace, she was too slow.

“That it wasn’t something to worry about?”

Sunlight appeared above Isa and he caught her, holding her against his chest. She put her paws on his shoulder and pressed her body against his cheek.

“Yes… Everybody has a sad and worrying part, isn’t it?” she said.

Isa nodded. “I understand.”

Despise having a huge Meow Wow in his arms, he still kept his grace and the Noble atmosphere gaving off from him…

SugarPlum gave him a tender smile and caressed Sunlight tenderly. The Dream eater snuggled against Isa and watched her as they were moving toward the downer part of the palace, a kind of cellar…

It wasn’t exactly a cellar, more another level, underground.

Because it was so big… and you could see an imposant machinery there. The Fairy let go on him and walked toward the huge installation. Isa couldn’t devine it exactly. It was something looking like a microscope but giant? The biggest part almost reach the cellar and let appear a platform.

There were toys all around.

“About Mother Ginger… You do realize that keeping you all alive, will keep her alive. The threat will remain there as long as you will all be alive.”

“What do you want to say, Honey? We should… all die?”

“No, obviously, no. I just believe we should talk to her. Perhaps we could make her change her mind? It’s the best solution.”

“I don’t think we can, Sugar…”

“Everybody must have a chance,” he replied.

“Obviously. And we gave her so many chances… I don’t think she’ll chance. But now… I don’t see what we can do… We can’t give her reason and we can’t do anything else. We have to protect the Realms… I don’t want her to hurt them…” She sighed. “Marie would have know what to do with that. She would have calm her…”

“I understand you’re confuse,” Isa said, putting down Sunlight. “I’m just afraid for you. If we let the situation like that and she tries to do something, which she will, according to you, what will you do? Suffer in silence?”

SugarPlum walked on a stair leading to the center mechanism of the machinery and he approached the safeguard.

“I supposer, Honey… Maybe Marie will come back anyway and save us?”

“It’s your plan? Waiting in the fear until the return of someone… who told you she will ever come back?”

“My Heart,” she said.

“Your Heart is full of hope and it’s a good thing but hope can be vain. I’m not judging you, Sugar Plum Fairy…” He moved to the stairs. “I know what Hope is. I know how it can make you continue to walk even if it’s in the wrong path. I know hope make you blind. I’m trying to give you assurance, let you live in peace. I wouldn’t have to tell to Mother Ginger you’re about to all keep life… I don’t like that idea but it’s the best thing we can do.”

“She doesn’t know you, you don’t know our Realms. Of course, it’s sweet from you, I’d like to kiss your face absolutely everywhere!” she said with a tender tone.

“But you don’t think she can change?”

“Yes.”

Isa looked down. He had to believe everybody could change… It always has been something his parents taught him. Everybody could become good.

He knew it was a fact. With the correct Light, everybody could step from the Darkness. It wasn’t something you would do in a snap, not people you wouldn’t have to look… But little by little, it was possible. They also needed to want it and perhaps they just needed a good talk, someone to understand them.

Yes, he did know that if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas but that was what the Fairies taught him. It wasn’t hope, it wasn’t trust, neither believe… it was being Human, walking in the Light. It was… the true Nature of a Wielder of the Keyblade. A Guardian of the Light simmering in everybody…

“I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s hard to believe that but everything is confuse. You accepted to help us so… so, yes, if you want to try, I can let you do, Sugar. But, please, don’t be sad if you can’t make her change…”

She lowered to him and took his hands.

“Thank you for your kindness, you’re doing too much for us.”

“I don’t,” he replied.

He just did what he needed to do.

“About the keyhole…”

“Yes, please, Honey! Thank you!”

She stepped away and showed a Keyhole on the machinery.

“Please…”

Isa approached it and let appear his Keyblade. Sunlight squeaked and jumped toward him.

“Yes, Sunlight, give me a Minute.”

She grabbed the bottom part of his pants, trying to tuck him out.

“Sunlight,” he said, holding out the Keyblade from where a beam came out.

She squeaked.

“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!!” PlumSugar said.

The mechanism started to move and Sunlight gave a hit to Isa, moaning. Her horn almost opened his skin and she still begged with soft sounds.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

He could feel the Darkness.

“Sugar Plum Fairies, please go protect yourself… Something is coming. Probably Mother Ginger…”

“I hope she is.”

Isa frowned and turned his head toward her.

“You… hope?”

“Oh… Sugar, you’re very cute,” she said coming to him and caressing his cheek. “But you’re giving your trust too easily.”

Isa’s expression lost his whole tenderness to only become rage and Darkness.

“What are you planning?”

“Marie left me! I will have my revenge!” she shout, pressing her hand on the machinery to turn it on. “You’ll see Sugar! This will be your oeuvre too!!!” she smiled.

Sunlight hissed at those words while SugarPlum smiled, the components making such a strange sound as doom was promosing his arrival…


	17. Consume

And the machinery stopped.

“No, no, no, no! WHAT’S HAPPENING?!” SugarPlum screamed. “What’s happening! What’s WROOOOOOONG?!”

There was no sweetness anymore, no reason to give her trust and Sunlight was hissing like never. She was surrounded with sparkle and her fur was ruffled by anger, fear and the need of protection.

“What’s happening?! Your Key didn’t work?!”

Isa held out his Keyblade with a smirk.

“It function very well,” he said. “However, I’m the one having it.”

“You… You turned off the machine?!” she shrieked.

“I turned off the machine,” he replied. “You were very nice, but I never gave you my trust,” he said.

Sunlight let out a eased squeak but still was puffed, ready to attack. You wouldn’t touch isa as long as she was there!

“But you…”

“Don’t think you can earn my trust with few minutes, a smile, tears and wings.”

“You…” She let out a groan. “GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARDS!!!!” she yelled. A smile diformed her lips. “Let’s see if you can face my guards,” she smirked.

Isa could hear sound around, Guards dashing to stop him probably. Certainly.

“You have one last chance to leave,” SugarPlum said. “Someone will be stupid enough to come with the key one day. I think they won’t be able to stop me.”

The sound of the paces were coming nearer and she leaned on him, her fingers sliding along his cheek, brushing the blue lock.

“Or maybe you change your mind and…”

“Who do you think I am?”

She looked above his shoulder.

“Guards! Here! He killed the Queen Marie!”

Isa grabbed her hand as he could hear the sound of the weapons being prepared.

“They don’t know, isn’t it? You’re the only one that had been abandonned. She saw what you were and she left you. She didn’t want to see the horror she created. And she was too pure to destroy you…”

“Silence!” she said between her teeth. “Guards!”

“Surrender now or you’ll perrish!”

“You have no chance, Sugar,” she muttered.

Her wings started to move and she lift her body above him, moving away from the fire about to blast them.

Sunlight meowed and woofed at once, turning too. And the sound of the weapon was saying to her that she was endangering Isa if she pursued.

Yet, Isa moved his hands. He pressed them above his Heart, the Keyblade vanishing in the air. Something that the Fairy noticed obviously! She moved her hand, trying to grab the key but… it has just disappeared. And when Isa turned, without the simple fear, white and blue beams came from him.

They hit the Guards and knocked them on the floor without even truly hurting them.

“How… How are you…”

Sunlight squeaked.

Isa swirled, the long locks around his face flying in the air, his Keyblade appearing in his hand. SugarPlum was dashing toward him, her hand moved toward him in the hope to strike him, in the hope to have what she wanted.

“The Key!” the Fairy let out.

She reached out, he moved his hand extremely fast.

At the exact moment the Keyblade hit the Fairy, she let out a powerful sound of sadness and pain combined. The sound of her back hitting the barrier around was as powerful and she was in the blurr, her hand over her belly.

“Now, you know the truth. Those people aren’t your toys! You are like them and you know it! The only thing you can do is aknowledge this and calm yourself. Rules like Marie would have done it. I know the feelings you had for her weren’t fake. You can change, you can be what she expected from you…”

“Why don’t you kill me already?!” she hissed. “No one believe your vain words! You don’t believe them!”

“It’s not important if I believe to it or not. You can change. You can be more.”

“I don’t want to be more,” she said with a harsh tone. “GUARDS!”

“They’re not conscious. They have for a few moment before waking up, I believe. I’ll be away from this moment. I will let you with them… and we’ll see what will happen… If you decided to change, I’m sure it will turn correctly for you.”

“You will leave… Leave me to this. If they decide to kill me…”

“I don’t think they have heard anything but, Madame, you will play that game: do they know or do they don’t know.”

“Look at you!” she said, getting up with rage. “You were supposed to help me, isn’t it? You seemed so nice and kind! And what are you really?”

“I wanted to free this World from their Darkness. Help those suffering it. I thought it was your case and that I was helping you. I was wrong. But your distress is real. Hence I give you another chance… You can walk back. You can accept the love of those Guards ready to help you…” Isa threw his Keyblade in the air, making it swirl, and he pressed the piece of armor in his waist. “As I said, you still have chance to change. Perhaps Marie left because of who you became or maybe you’re just bitter about it. Anyway… it’s your chance. Light can always sparkle somewhere…”

Armor covered him and the Keyblade came back, ready for him to glide it. Sunlight jumped on it, not stepping on the Meow Wow only thanks to the habit. How many time did he hurt her paws when they started to learn?

As he talked, as he climbed on his Keyblade, Isa kept an eye on the Fairy.

“You don’t believe this,” she smirked.

“I don’t believe it,” he replied. “But people I love believe this. People believe this and need others to support their dreams. My role is to keep their dreams, whatever what is their dreams.”

“My Dream is to make her regret!” SugarPlum protested as he moved up on the Keyblade. “Do you support that?!”

“No. However, I don’t support neither your dead. I’ll come back. And I’ll warn efficient people to keep an eye on you. But here is your second chance… Take it before you may regret it,” he said.

He switched his feet on the Keyblade and it moved.

“I’ll be back,” he swore.

The Fairy let out a cry of hatred and horror.

Perhaps he really saw better in her? Perhaps he really saw possibilities… but all she could see was the fact that she had to continue to pretend. That she had to continue to smile to a people she hates because she had no others choices. Without the Key, she could only wait and pretent so she could use them.

But if only she wasn’t exactly what they expected…

Perhaps he saw something in her and offered her a second chance, a paradise…

But all she saw was a punishment…

When he was just a child, his father would always said to him it was important not to take too much candies and to avoid energizing and exciting drink. At some point, everything changed. Not that his father stopped warning him or decided he had been wrong all along… Just… he was different. He was a Nobody… He couldn’t really sleep and as soon as he closed his eyes to try sleeping, or leave himself in the netherworld, he had always Nightmare…

So… drink coffee and coffee all days and all nights was good.

He could work.

But now, he was laying on his back, reading books thanks to a dim light coming from outside of the room. He had no pleasure to do it but… did he ever had pleasure to read books anyway? He was so young when his Heart had been ripped off his chest.

Knocks echoed on his door.

He straightened in the bed but didn’t have the time to say anything that the door opened and a little fire started to hover in the room. Just after, Axel sneaked in his room and came on the mattress with him. He rolled, the face toward the wall, hugging a doll against his absent Heart.

“Don’t mind me,” he yawned.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Uuuh… which one?” the young man replied.

Coming in his room, and so bed, every night since two years; he swore Vexen wanted to kill him.

Letting a ball of fire lighting the room.

Trying to sleep?

Be around him?

“Holding this doll…”

Ah…

“I thought it was the prove of your first murders.”

“Second, deary Zexy!!” he replied. “Got it memo…”

“Yes, yes, if you want to,” Zexion cut short.

“Eeeeh…”

With time, their relationship changed. It was because of him Zexion truly started to talk again. Maybe to force him to stay quiet? Maybe just to thank him for taking care of him all the time?

“So?” Zexion asked.

“It’s just… a reminder.”

“Of Isa?”

Axel groaned.

Sometimes, it was hard for him.

Time had passed and he wasn’t sure of everything… Isa ever wanted him or not? He made the vow to kill him… was it because he truly wanted to save him or just an excuse to put an end to him? And was Isa truly the perfectest being alive or was it just his mind making up everything? He couldn’t remember correctly the color of his skin, his eyes, his hairs. How was his smile? Sometimes, he believed Isa was just something his memories had created for him feeling less sad…

And sometimes, he woke up from his voidy lethargy his head filled with horror and he hated Isa so much because all of them were connected to him. Zexion said himself maybe there was something between them. A strong bond. So Isa was real? But he brought only sadness within him.

He didn’t want this emotion.

He prefered to be heartless… Nobody.

“You don’t have to reply if you don’t want to,” Zexion said.

“Shut up…”

Axel glanced at the fire above them. It been years since he was doing that. As if it could push back the Nightmares flooding within him. As if it could chase the Darkness. It never worked and yet, he kept doing this. Maybe because he just… needed something warm? A light.

A Light…

“Just saying,” Zexion said, turning on the side to read.

“You’re fucking annoyin’.” Axel turned toward him. “What do ya wanna know anyway?!”

“Why you keep doing that?”

“Why do _you_ keep doing that?!”

Zexion turned a page with a shrug. “I’ve nothing else to do.”

“Pleaaaaase,” Axel sighed. “You’re what? Seventeen?! You can’t be that depressed.”

“You were depressed at fifteen years old, I do it if I want.” Zexion turned toward him. “And that’s no depression! I’ve nothing else to do and my father is here. Being here or somewhere else… what difference it is?”

“Ugh…”

Axel looked the ceiling. Zexion imitated him, orange colors dancing here.

“Do you think we will be able to have a Heart one day?”

“Perhaps…”

“Do you think… we could accept what arrived to us? What we did?” Axel looked toward Zexion. He knew it was special to ask all of this to a teenager but Zexion was so smart, smarter than him and he had such a special point of view. “I killed so much people just because Xemnas wanted it… I killed so much people in the vain hope to have a Heart… when my Heart will realize this… it would collapse on itself, right?”

“Perhaps…” Zexion replied. He moved his hands toward the ceiling. “Or maybe we will forget everything? We’re just empty shell after all.”

“This would be awesosme to forget everyhing…”

“Really?” Zexion looked him with a smirk. “You’re saying this? I must start to worry then!” he mocked.

“Yeah, maybe you should!!” Axel laughed.

Zexion rolled toward him and hugged him slightly. He was always doubtful, not very tactile… even with him. it changed for his father, sometimes Lexaeus. And him….

“If you remember when we’ll have a Heart, nothing will change…”

“I know,” the man sighed.

“That’s not what I mean. Nothing will change. Isa is real and he will accept you.”

“I don’t think so… If he’s real, he can’t like what I become.”

“And what will you do?” Zexion asked.

“Never meet him again. That’s the plan. And if he tries to reach me…” He closed his eyes and could see horrible images in front of his eyes. “I’ll just make him regrets…”

Zexion let out a sigh.

What could he do against him.

He didn’t know everything.

He even didn’t know Axel correctly…


	18. Prometheus

“Where should I go?” Isa muttered.

In there, you could always feel Darkness. It was only Darkness.

How could he find the Worlds he had to save? Yen Sid expected him to be able to do it… Know what had problems, save them… Maybe he also had to just check everywhere. He would never have go to Sugar Plum Fairy’s land if he hadn’t been forced because everything seemed so beautiful… he would have missed something.

But he wasn’t sure he had done the right thing anyway…

Maybe he would debrief with Yen Sid later. Fauna had tried to tell him something. What? Maybe he didn’t have to success? Just try?

But he wanted to success.

He didn’t want to let them at their problems.

Not just because it was what he was supposed to do. More because… he couldn’t forgive himself that time he missed to save someone who needed it. He should have successed… He wanted to repair every of his mistakes.

Perhaps that was what he needed to change? Be drived by something else. Stopping living in the past, forgetting everything, working for the Light.

After all, it was what asked to be a Master.

Saying goodbye to every attach…

Maybe it was just that.

Sunlight squeazed.

Isa moved his feet on the Keyblade and it moved toward a big World hovering not so far away. It seemed filled with building and not many green zone but still. The atmosphere was quite grey, cloudy. It was cold…

Darkness were swirling around.

“You’re doing a good job, Sunlight,” Isa congratulated as he directed the Keyblade toward the floor.

She squeaked happily and had to hold the envy to just rub her head against him. She used to do it and that always ended with Isa falling from his Glider and rolling on the floor. Maybe they shouldn’t reproduce that from this distance…

Anyway, at the right moment Isa arrived next to the floor, Sunlight jumped on him. He stumbled but accepted her with a light laugh.

“Sunlight,” he sighed softly.

He caressed her soft fur while hugging her and he called back his weapon, letting it vanish in the void.

“Was it that a Keyblade?”

Isa clenched his teeth and turned his head quickly to the voice. It was coming from a guy around his age, with black hairs and the bluest eyes he never saw… and the guys was holding a punch of dalmatian puppies in his arms, smiling as if seeing someone coming from the sky and hugging a you-don’t-know-exactly-but-it’s-cute-anyway was something normal.

“Excuse me?”

“It was a Keyblade, right?”

He approached with his puppies, which were happily woofing, as Isa put Sunlight on the floor. He watched him without a word. He needed to set his mind. The guy was knowing the Keyblade so he knew about the order of the Worlds and it was something…

He didn’t know much about those actually knowing for the Keyblade and the travel between the Worlds. He thought it was just the Master, or apprentice Master, and their help like Minnie obviously but also Donald and Goofy. Without forgetting the three Fairies and Merlin. It would have been weird for them not to know it…

“Who are you?” Isa asked.

“Right!”

He bent to put down the dogs, asking them not to move with a warm tone, and held out his hand to Isa.

“I’m Zack Fair!! I have friends who have a Keyblade too.”

“You’re a friend of Mickey?”

“Of who?” Zack asked, still holding out his hand.

“Oh, I’m Isa…” He hesitated because he hated his last name. He had such bad relationship with his parents… “Sinclair,” he said.

It was Lea’s name.

He wished he could have his name for real…

“Nice to meet ya! I don’t know your Mickey but if it’s my friends, I’m talking about Aqua, Terra and Ventus!”

“Ventus?” Isa repeated.

“You know him?!” Zack asked with a smile. “How he’s doing?!”

“He was…”

Isa looked his hand.

They didn’t see him much and he always wondered if his link with the Keyblade was coming from him, from his Keyblade he had showed to Lea and him…

“We don’t know what happened to him and his friends but we suppose they’re all dead,” Isa said.

“Dead? Aqua? Ven’? Terra?”

“Yes… we… they couldn’t do anything…”

“But…” Zack looked him with hys crystalin blue eyes. “Aqua and Terra they were so strong… How can…”

Isa looked down. “They weren’t strong enough…”

“Not strong enough?! What are you saying?! They…”

“They weren’t!! The one who tricked them is…” Isa clenched his teeth, his fists. The Meow Wow squeaked and rubbed her head against his calf. “He took a lot of lives.”

“Why people aren’t stopping him?”

“We’re trying! He had disappeared and we search him…”

“How could someone… uh, nevermind.”

Isa frowned.

“I just thought about…” Zack leaned in, putting his hand in protection. “There are so many Worlds…”

Isa nodded.

“Can we talk somewhere we risk nothing?” he offered. “And…” he glanced at the pups. “… your dogs.”

“They aren’t my dogs!” he said. “And yours!”

Zack crouched and held out his hand to the Meow Wow.

“If… if it’s not your dogs, why do you have them?” Isa asked with doubt.

Sunlight was sniffing this stranger.

“A lady stole them! I saved them!! They need help!!”

Isa frowned.

“Every life needs to be helped, right?”

“Obviously.”

Zack caressed Sunlight.

“So what’s your dog?”

“She’s not a dog. She’s a Meow Wow.”

“A what?” Zack replied, blinking. “That doesn’t even exist?” he laughed.

Sunligh squeaked, seeming to pout.

“You’re going to offend her.”

“Ah.” Zack rubbed his skull. “Look!! I saw so many weird things anyway, and she’s really cute! So, hello Meow Wow,” he said shaking her paw with a big smile.

His arms folded, Axel was chewing a gum while Xemnas was talking at only a few pace from him. He had the feeling he was telling the same thing again and again and again so he didn’t pay much attention to him honestly.

He accepted to do the dirty job of Xemnas as long as he had a promise far away in the road; he accepted to kill whoever because what would be a bit more of blood on his hands anyway? He accepted to go in those Worlds because he still hoped he would see Isa while he’d had to search those girls. Not talking to him, not even touching him… just see him. He craved for a bit of his presence.

“Yay, yay, okay if ya wanna. But I’ve a question, boss!”

Xemnas looked him annoyed.

Axel smiled wildly. He didn’t know if it was because he cut him short, because he was chewing a gum or just for both.

“Why do you want me to go search those ladies?”

“They…”

“I _know_ you want them to open Kingdom Hearts or anything but I’m not that dumb,” he said, walking toward him. “You don’t want to _open_ Kingdom Hearts.” He moved his hand to one of the big window. “We’re creating it. So… why are we wanting to open Kingdom Hearts?”

Xemnas pressed his cheek over his fist.

“You’re smarter than I believed,” he said.

“Thank ya,” he replied. “So. Why are we searching thirtheen dudes and seven ladies.”

“To have fun, maybe?” Xigbar smiled.

He was just next to them, listening. He was the Second-in-Command and when Xemnas wanted to see Axel, Xigbar was always there.

Perhaps it was to keep an eye on Axel? He was just like fire, untammable, unpredictable… someone needed to keep him on place. Xigbar seemed to be able to do it. Xemnas could have done it too but he liked to let others do the icky job after all…

Xemnas still looked Axel, a slight smile on his lips.

“We don’t need thirteen men and we don’t need seven ladies.”

“That doesn’t change the equation,” Xigbar winked.

Axel smirked. “You can’t wink,” he reminded, knowing him enough to know what he was trying to do, a wide smile on his lips.

“Silence,” Xemnas said with an annoyed tone.

Axel’s smile turned sinister. This time, when he chewed his gum, he made sure there would be maximum sound. Maximum annoyance.

“We need thirteen fragment of Darkness and seven of Light. In theory, it asks Seven Wielder of the Keyblade however, those are delicacy. We only know one. His Majesty Mouse. In absence of others Light, we can use the Princess of Hearts.”

“And those are the ladies without the slighest Darkness,” Axel said.

“Yes.”

Axel make a bubble with the chewing gum, thinking.

“But what it has to do with us having a Heart?” he asked when the bubble popped.

“Kingdom Hearts will give you a Heart, Axel, but it is protected. The only way to have access to Kingdom Hearts, and so your Heart, is to forge the χ-Blade. She is the protector, the lover of Kingdom Hearts however she’s the only one who can open it… and she will be created only when Seven fragment of pure Light and Thirteen fragment of Darkness would clash…”

“I see…” He started chewing again. “Pure Light and Pure Darkness, uh?”

He smirked, his eyes sparkling with a strange fire. His hands had soaked in the blood so he could be the said Pure Darkness.

“The Purest Darkness available, the Purest Light possible…” Xemnas moved slightly the head. “What is in your eyes, Axel? Dount?”

“I don’t doubt.”

Xemnas got up and walked toward him. Axel smiled and pressed his lips together to create another bull that almost touch his boss’ face.

“I know why you suddenly accepted to follow my plans, four years and half ago. Two solutions are in front of you now. Either you find your treasured friend and turn him into one of us…”

“Never,” Axel replied, making pop the bubble.

Xemnas lowy groaned and removed a particle of blue gum.

“Never his hands will be stained with blood. Never his Heart will beat with Darkness within. I’ll protect him. I’ll protect him from your icky plans! You have me. You will have your χ-Blade, I’ll have my Heart and it’ll be over!” He approached him, his nose almost brushed his. “And I swear to his life, if you ever think about touchin’ him, I’ll open your belly and hang you with your own guts!”

Xemnas smiled. “Understood. I won’t touch him.”

Axel nodded and moved back, swirling on his feet to leave the place.

Xigbar followed him.

“He got you.”

“What?” Axel groaned.

“The other option. Making you accept what _he_ wants by pulling your weakness. Your weakness is Isa. It always had been. You wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t around that day…”

“SHUT UP!!” Axel swirled toward him, fire coming from his feet, his chakrams spinning in his hands. “Isa always had protected me! He’s the only one! He’s my Light! As long as he’d be there, I will never be the Darkness this asshole wish for!”

“Wrong…” Xigbar walked toward him. “You would kill for him, right? Whatever for what reason. Any life is less important than his. For him, for the sole hope of seeing his smile, you would destroy a World. Axel… you’re fucked up. He’s your Light but he will hurl you in the Darkness.”


	19. Spill

Rough herb’s smell was swirling in the air, rolling against the wall and giving a strange atmosphere to the tiny house. Not even a house. More like a sole room. Everything was on the same place, from the sofa to the shower offering its back to a kitchen too old to cook anything correctly…

How could they fit, three puppies, one Meow Wow and two bulk men in this tiny room were having a guest asked you to never go in the toilets if you have an ounce of decency.

“Ah, please, sit, Isa!” Zack said, walking through the bowls on the floor.

“Thank you,” he replied installing himself on the very end of the sofa, almost sat on the armchair.

Zack came next to him and put down the two cups of tea with old biscuits. “That’s all I have!” He smiled. But his smile vanished. “I’m ready,” he said. “Tell me, please.”

“I told it to you. Ventus, Terra and Aqua have been defeated by Xehanort’s hand. We don’t know much about him. He vanished in the nature with…”

He looked away, searching his words.

“Someone you loved?”

Isa nodded and took a sip to have an excuse not to talk.

He shivered.

It wasn’t tea at this point, just warm water with a strange greenish color.

“I know we had talked about this and I know things aren’t as simple as they are. But we have no clues to find bad the dude? I know there are so many Worlds all around but we must have an indice?! Just one!”

“I’m afraid we have not.” Isa pinched his lips. “In fact… from what we know, Xehanort was an old man, six years ago.”

“And now he’s dead?”

“And now he’s young,” Isa replied.

“Y… Young?”

“It is highly possible he had… take over the body of Terra.”

“Wh… what?”

“The Xehanort I know and the Xehanort my Master knew aren’t the same. But they seems to be the same person anyway. And I had the opportunity to see images of Terra. The Xehanort I know look like him, with features of the one my Master knew.”

“That’s insane…”

“I know. This complicate everything. The last time I saw Xehanort, it was in my home world. I don’t remember the name of this World but the Ruler was Ansem…”

“The Wise?!” Zack let out, jumping on his feet.

“Yes.”

“Me too!! That’s so… Oh my Gosh! I’m from that World too!! I left it because I wanted to protect the others Worlds!”

They knew, in Radiant Garden, that they weren’t the only World existing. There were others Worlds. They even had the technology to go through the others Worlds though it was really rare… most of the time, it was wealthy people. Though, Isa could remember a special lotterie a few year ago… Someone who could leave their World for a joy not very common. Perhaps it was Zack?

“I understand better why the Order of the Worlds was so normal and common for you in this case.”

“Yes, probably.”

“And… you would like to know, perhaps, that our World fell into the Darkness…”

“Oh…”

Zack stayed mute.

Isa forced himself to drink another insipid gulp of ‘tea’, Sunlight installed on his lap and napping as a dog or a cat would do it.

“Go on, do you have any other bad news? It’d be better to tell me everything, you don’t think?” he laughed, a bit nervous.

“Little by little, the Worlds are vanishing in the Darkness. We’re racing against time. Our strenghts are too weak and the Darkness too powerful. We don’t know what will happen.”

“We have to fight. One bad guy by one bad guy.”

“I’m afraid we don’t have this time,” Isa replied.

“A lot of bad guys at once?”

“We’re seeking for the source of the Darkness,” he explained.

“Do you even think it exists?” Zack pressed his hand in front of his Heart. “I’ve been possessed by the Darkness. I was Hades’ toy because he wanted me to step in a friend’s path… It was coming from everywhere… Darkness is coming from everywhere. I don’t think we can find its source.”

Isa nodded. “I do know that Darkness can come in every Heart. Pure Light is something extremely rare and for this exact reason, they’re in constant danger. However, there is something that create more Darkness. Something that is destroying the Worlds. That’s what we have to stop before it is too late. However… we don’t know what it is. Xehanort, probably, but how?”

“While you’re searching this source, we have to stop every little nest we can. Do you think I should let those puppies die because there is someone more dangerous?” Zack asked, showing the dogs eating.

Isa shook his head. “Of course not, you’re right. We are lacking of people who can help and set the Worlds as they are. There is too much to do. But you are right. We should be able to do exterminate this big problem and to protect those…” He was about to say ‘little problem’ but he knew he was wrong. “… less big problem.”

“But still important.”

“Yes.”

“I wanna be an Heroes, ya know. Protect everybody. The bigs and the littles. especially the littles. No one sees them.”

Isa shook his head. “ _You_ are seeing them. It’s already a lot. We need that.”

“You’re nice,” he smiled. “I hope I can pursue like that! Even do better!” he laughed.

Isa bit his lower lips. “How do you travel trought the Worlds?”

“With luck?” Zack smiled. “I left Radiant Garden thanks to relation, my dad could leave the World and he brought me with him to Olympus. And from there, my friend Herc’ helped me. Or his father… He send me here last year and… for the weak and the defenceless, I was a Hero. I stayed around, helped people. Often what you won’t expect,” he laughed, pushing on his foot and making swing his chair, letting it without correct balance.

“I think I know what kind of things you were doing. However, I’d like to make an offer.”

“Yay?”

“We need more people like you and we can travel throught the Worlds.”

He was doubting as he was talking because those words would maybe raise the anger of Yen Sid? But there were people not wearing a Keyblade who knew about the other Worlds. Like Donald and Goofy. Minnie, obviously. The Three Fairies, of course, and Merlin!

It seemed that every Master had people around them to help them.

And they needed that help.

If Yen Sid held this against him, he would accept the blame without protesting. Whatever it will happen after that…

“Are you… enlisting me?””

“Why wouldn’t I?” he asked.

“I don’t know. I could lie to you.”

“You know Hollow Bastion and the Keyblades. You have met Ventus, Aqua and Terra. Either you’re lying to me about being a Heroes but you know too much things anyway so I’d like to keep an eye on you or you’re telling the truth and you deserve to have your chance.”

“In any case, you keep an eye on me then, right?”

Isa nodded.

“You smart!” he laughed. “But, yeah, I’d like to come with ya and make things change!” he said with a smile.

Isa gave him one of his famous fake smile. Zack tilted a little his head on the side then smiled more.

The Keyblade wielder put the ‘tea’ down and tried to see if there was any Darkness around.

“Who is the father of your friend?” Isa asked.

Those would be the kind of information Yen Sid would be happy to know. Either to ask help if needed or to be sure Worlds had a protector. Yen Sid said, for now at least, if there was a powerful beneficial magic, Light could be preserved over a World. So many Worlds needed a steady Light…

“Uuuuh… Zeus?” Zack said with a laugh.

“Zeus?” Isa replied with a little hiccup. “As…”

“The God, yeah.”

“You are friend with a…”

“A demi-God! My friend lost his God powers or something like that,” Zack replied, scratching his cheek.

“You talked about luck?”

“Weeeeeell, I ended up here where I could have been somewhere else?” he laughed. “But I still believe it was for the right reason. To help those people that no one would help otherwise… and maybe to find ya? For more!”

Isa nodded, looking severe right now. Hidding his fears mostly…

He had to think about how to bring Zack with him also. He could easily glide with Sunlight because he had training for in one of his first World, just because Yen Sid expected him to wear gliding fast while still learning how to fight… but with a man?

“We should take care of the puppies,” he said, walking to the dalmatians and caressing one of them behind the ear.

Sunlight approached him, not insisting to have attention but hoping it anyway!

“Do you know who is the one attacking them?”

“No… I just know their goons. I think it’s a lady but I’m not sure…”

“You know them?”

Zack nodded. “I saved a bunch of puppies already. When I could, I brought them to their Master but it was very rare. I couldn’t keep them here, ya know?”

“Of course. What did you do with those without Master and you couldn’t keep?”

“Gave them to people wanting them. Really wanting them. And showing they will take care of them. But I think nothing will stop them anyway… If they want dogs, babies dogs, that’s not just someone saving a few once in a while that will stop them.”

“I felt Darkness before coming here…”

“You felt Darkness? You’re able to…”

“Yes. For… no apparent reasons I believe,” he said.

“Sometimes, it’s just within you.” Zack shrugged but there was something in his voice, in his smile. “Anyway, do you want a doggo?”

“I’ve Sunlight,” he replied with a slight smirk. “And way too much animals around me,” he added.

Zack blinked, a smile on his lips.

“What?” he said.

Isa couldn’t help a very slight smile because there was something so cheerful within the man, it was hard not to be cheering up. Maybe he was even a bit jealous of his strenght to accept the lost of his friends, of his World, without seathing a tear.

Or he was just didn’t care?

Isa didn’t care about the destruction of that hollow Bastion… He only cared about the only lose that mattered…

He opened his mouth and a sound of explosion burst out.


	20. Dirge of Cerberus

Squeaks were reverberating in the only room through the sound of the walls slowly moving and menacing to fall. Blood was streaming on the floor… Steams filled with dust invaded the air, making echoes cough along the squeaks. And yelp.

Isa pressed his hand on the floor, seeing his fingers soaking in the amaranth liquid.

Sunlight rubbed her squeezy cheek against his wrist.

“Zack?” Isa called.

No reactions.

Maybe just a slight twitch in the finger?

“Zack!!”

Isa raised up on his knees and let out a moan of pain, blood rolling along his skin. But he didn’t care and moved to the huge piece of wall crushing him. He pushed his hands under it and, groaning his suffer, worked to move the heavy mix of stone and cement.

“Uuugh… So… Sorry,” Zack mumbled.

His knees were shaking against the floor. He wasn’t lay on it but rested on his knees and elbows.

Under his bellies, the puppies were sadly yaping. And they were perfectly fine, terrorized but fine.

Isa blinked and coughed because of the dust swirling in the air. He fought against the memories and the tears, unless it was just his eyes trying to save him from those impurities, and so could just smile slightly to this idiot who just throw himself between a wall and the floor to save three puppies. And who was smiling back to him, blood rolling along his skin…

“Idiot,” he muttered.

Zack laughed and then coughed. “You hid… ya were… strong!!!”

“Pff… Can you get up?”

They heard barks. Huge barks. Threatening and frightening barks.

The House was now looking more like a cheese than an home and, while you could already ask yourself how it was holding together before, now, it could only be because of insane sorcellery…

“It’s time to move,” Isa said.

Zack gathered the puppies and pressed them in Isa’s arm. The Keyblade wielder almost let fall the part of wall. However, he pushed it on the side and caught back one of the puppy before it felt. Zack jumped on the side, rolling and grabbing a huge sword.

“Move back!” he yelled to Isa.

Blood covered his lips as he coughed but he raised up anyway, walking back. In front of them… a bunch of absolutely horrible black dogs that seemed to be all skin and bones. Or all armor and bones. Because they seemed to be covered by a thin but resistant armor except a long purple tentacle and huge claws and fangs.

This was the horror itself.

This was a Nightmare that no Dream Eater could swallow, not even Sunshine who was deeply linked to Isa and to powerful magic.

“Isa…” Zack whispered. “That’s not a joke…” He coughed and a bit of blood came from his lips. “Run.”

It wasn’t the kind of Isa to run. He summoned his Keyblade and created a barrier.

“Don’t play the Heroes! Come!”

Zack smiled slightly. One day, he will be an Heroes but… a dead Heroes couldn’t save anyone.

And those things…

He moved back, following Isa as the stranges and horrible dogs approached. There were so many holes, it was pretty easy to come out of that devastated house…

“Oh oh…”

“What?”

Isa glanced and swirled around. And froze. There were more of those dogs.

They barked. A groan. A powerful and frightening growl that seemed to be out of hell itself.

Sunlight squeaked and bounced toward Isa.

“BEWARE!!” Zack shouted when he saw the mouth opened.

It was too late, red and gleam were moving from being their fangs and unbearable warm was already invading the place. Isa immediately threw a shield. In front of Zack. Because of the wounds and blood, because of the dogs in his arms. The man didn’t have the time to protest that flames burst from the jaw.

The puppies were moaning.

Zack couldn’t help feeling like it was his fault… and yet, his back was unbelievably hurtful, his limbs were a turmoil of pain and he couldn’t have do more. He couldn’t have forced him to come in the shield.

He was sorry.

So sorry…

He let the puppies slid on the ground and searched for Materias in his pocket. He must have curaga materia! He must…

**_“Why are you always so warm…?”_ **

**_“I dunno…”_ **

**_Lea looked down to Isa who snuggled in his arms. The weather was really cold lately and Isa would always come in his arms to get warm._ **

**_“The better to hug you with?” he laughed._ **

**_Isa was too shy, or probably too proud, but it does worked. As soon as the time became colder, he would use it as an excuse to have the cuddles he craved for._ **

**_Lea was always so warm._ **

**_“You know what else is so neat?”_ **

**_Isa looked up at him._ **

**_“Never got burn!! Mummy says I’m nut to take the plates out of the oven like that. Momma said it’s helpful!”_ **

**_“Perhaps you’re just use to it,” Isa pointed out, his momma being blacksmith._ **

**_He remembered the number of time Lea talked aboutplaying around the bassine of lava. He knew this kind of behaviour had provoked problem between the two mothers because despite the love they have for each other, bringing a child as turbulent as Lea in a Forge could be dangerous._ **

**_“Maybe!” Lea smiled. He frowned as he glanced at his hands, so warm. So warm that when he was ill, he was always at the death’s door. Without exageration… “Do you think I turned into a Forge?!”_ **

**_Isa laughed._ **

**_“Come on, I’m wondering!”_ **

**_Isa laughed even more, his body shaking against his, so Lea hugged him so he wouldn’t fall from the mezzanine bedd. He could told him he loved him…_ **

**_Hugged by him, laughing for the first time since weeks because things were becoming hard at home, Isa was glad to be with him. He could told him he loved him…_ **

The dogs were growling with more violence, with a threat that brought him gooseflesh. And he heard a sound, a hiccup.

There were puppies’ yap and…

Isa was there? Standing? He wasn’t hurt at all. Not even the skin redder, not even a little bleb.

“I…Isa?!” Zack called.

The Keyblade Wielder stared his hands, blinking with stupor.

“You’re fine?”

“I’m fine…” he replied.

The dogs groaned. One of them jumped.

“ISA!” Zack shouted.

The wielder saw him make appear an unbelievably big and large… sword? How was he even able to bear it in his state?

Though, Isa didn’t have time to think about that and let the barrier vanish, with let time to Zack to interfere in one attacking in the back while he countered the second coming right on him. Isa hissed as he fought against the beast. Sunlight threw herself of one of the other Monster-dog, her horn entering the jaw of one of them.

“You didn’t burnt, right?” Zack smiled.

“Not even a little,” Isa replied.

“Soooo… Ya okay to become my living Human shield?” he asked happily.

“Why not?”

Isa pushed back one of the big dog as droplets of purple blood jumped all around. Zack just slid one of those creatures in two. Isa himself hurt one and he noticed one of the beast ready to blow fire. Sunlight bounced toward him, attacking with fervor.

That didn’t prevent the flames to born in the sharp mouth.

“The little dogs!” Isa said.

He switched of place with Zack and moved his Keyblade as his other hand was turned to a bunch of other Monster. White and powerful light came from him and beamed them. Zack jumped over the puppies, gathering them under his shirt and preparing his big weapon to intercepte any fire that wouldn’t touch Isa. Every attack coming from those creatures.

He felt the warm coming to him and had to push back another beast.

“Zack, I will use the Moonlight to blind them and shield you and the dogs, make an escape with Sunlight,” he said.

“Sure!” the other man replied.

He smiled to him, waiting for the light.

A cough came out from his lips.

And a scream.

Isa turned his head.

One of those dog just grabbed Zack in the side. They heard yap and another scream as the blood was splashing around. Sunlight squeaked and threw a healing spell but blood steal streamed.

Perhaps because the remaining of the green powder was suddenly throw to Isa whom pant was ripped open by a big paw with long claws and the wounds immediately closed.

“Damn! ZACK!!!” Isa screamed out. “Thanks Sunlight,” he added.

Isa switched his hand and white light suddenly beamed from it. The same as before. But he unleashed it on the Monster-dogs remaining. They let out groan, bark absolutely creeping in their bones. Sunlight jumped in front of Isa, wanting to protect him.

They needed to leave.

Isa was conscious of that.

He needed to protect Zack but he couldn’t let the dogs die to the hand of that person. He had to take a decision.

And fast.

And the decision…was easy to take.

He threw his Keyblade and pressed his hand on his thigh, his armor appearing. He bit his lower lip as the mask was covering his face.

“Hockety pockety wockety wack!” he said, moving his fingers, gathering the magic withing him. “Abra abra dabra nack, little dalmatians lost in crual claws, your destiny will be redraw.” Isa jumped backward. Sunlight bounced and threw her horn in the dog trying to attack her Master and friend. “Higitus figitus migitus mum,” he pursued, his energy leaving him and so his breath was becoming shorter. “Prestidigitonium, I can’t tolerate this unhealthiest, hence you will protected in a…” He had no rhym. Sunlight squeaked. Blood came at his lips. “… chest?”

Immediately, under Zack’s top, the dogs shrunk and a chest fall on the floor next to them.

Isa jumped to the man and helped him to stay up, making him climb on the Keyblade. Sunlight bounced with him at the moment more fire was swirling toward them. For some reasons, he could resist this but Sunlight and Zack would suffer it. He forced the Keyblade to dash out and closed his eyes one second, as he could feel the blood moisting his hand through the fabric.

Sometimes, Yen Sid muttered something.

He always said it was something forgetten by now but… if that could help him, if that could help Zack, he wanted to believe in it. He trusted Yen Sid, he had taught him so much…

“May my Heart be my guiding key,” he whispered.

A beam of light came from the Keyblade and opened a path.

“Hold on, Zack,” he said.

“Don… Don’t…” Zack replied.

Isa glanced at him as he directed the Keyblade to the beam, to the flashing keyhole.

“If I have just one chance to save you, I will take it, Zack,” Isa warned.

“… worry… I have…” Zack cough blood. “…Luck…”

He did believed he had because the event would have been the same without Isa. But he would have died there, killed by those dogs. He would have fight differentely, sure, but they were Cerberus and he knew it was dangerous beast and doubted he could have survived by his own…


	21. Bask

At the very moment Isa arrived in this World, his foot brushing the tiled floor, he could feel something unbelievably melancholic…

There was nothing in the streets, just dim light here and there, little flames coming from candles. What it told him was that people were living in this World, at least. He didn’t trust his own Heart, especially when he had a bleeding man in his arms. He couldn’t lose him…

He didn’t want to lose someone like him.

Not only because he reminded him Lea, and that day where he failed everything, but because Zack promised to be the kind of people he liked to have around him. He was friendly, cheerful and happy… he was still young and didn’t deserve to welcome the death…

“Sunlight, go search for someone!” Isa commanded.

She squeaked and ran.

Isa put Zack on the floor and moved his shirt to see how bad was the wounds.

He needed to learn healing spell…

Sunlight wasn’t that bad for this but, mostly, it was only for him. Their powerful bond allowed her to heal him easily but as soon as it was asked tp her to heal someone else, it was too difficult.

Zack couldn’t die here…

“Stay strong,” he said. “Survive!”

Isa noticed there the amount of scars on his body. He had one on his face, a few on his throat but also all over his body. Scarlet was already sliding in the slight interstice between the tiles, filling them, turning the sorrow around into a cold horror.

The man tried to gather healing within his hands.

If he was able to cast a spell like Merlin, he could summon some curing magic, isn’t it?

And yet… nothing.

“Zack! Say something?”

“Don’t… you… worry…” he smiled.

Isa groaned.

He hated people like that. Why staying positive in every situation? What that can only bring? If Zack died now, what would it gain that he was smiling until the last moment?

Perhaps…

Perhaps he just had reached that level of altruism Isa couldn’t brush, to focused on a lost Quest. If he died now, it will be the end for him but he would have eased a Heart until the last moment. Or maybe they were just two idiots, keeping their problems for them and still smiling when they wanted to panick and yell.

“I’m not worrying for you, Zack. Don’t worry. But you better stay alive. Someone must seek for those dalmatians.”

“In chest,” Zack laughed, blood coming out of his lips. “S… Sorry…” he said, pressing his hand over his wound.

Isa approached his fingers with doubt.

“Recognize… it was… a bit… stupid,” Zack grinned through his pain.

“I didn’t find any rhym.”

“’Kay… but… why… unhealt…hiest?”

“Why not?” Isa asked, taking his hand, pressing over the wound.

“Who… talk… like that?” Zack joked.

“I do.”

“Gooosh!” He laughed and droplets of blood jumped out. “We… need to… be… friend. We will… have fun…” Cough. “Every… day.”

“Sure! Stay alive and I will become your friend,” Isa replied.

As he pronounced those words, he realized that… Lea apart because he was his everything, Zack would be his first friend. If he survived.

“Being… friend… with a corpse… could be a… conc…” Cough. “…cept…”

“It is. I should think about that. However, I don’t want to do all the efforts.”

Zack laughed more.

“Aouutch… You’re… a crual friend… right? I’m… suffer… ing here!!”

His tone was still joyful. Laughing over a sad end. Maybe that was exactly the kind of friend Isa wanted…

Isa heard a squeak.

Sunlight!

“Keep fighting, Zack,” Isa said.

“Oh my God,” a soft voice raised out.

Isa turned his head and saw a lady with brown hair tied in a braid. She seemed out of this world and this sorrow thanks to the thin white summer dress imprinted with colorful flowers.

She ran to them and crouched by their side, not caring about the color the fabric suddenly took.

“Heaven?” Zack muttered.

She shook her head and joined her hands, closed her eyes and, suddenly, light beamed her, blue sparkle shone, landing over Zack. When he coughed, nothing came out his mouth. And if the blood still sprode on the tiled floor, nothing seemed to streak from the man. Or almost nothing?

“I stabilized you. You will survive,” she smiled.

“Neat…” Zack started to move.

“But you shouldn’t!” she said, pressing her fingers against his chest. “You still need care.”

“What?”

“Where is the nearest healthcare facility?” Isa asked.

“It’s far away.” She held out her hand. “In the fifth district. However, I’m living just over there,” she said.

She pointed out a little house above a shop, just after a short flight of stairs.

“I’m…” Zack looked the lady who had a soft smile toward him. “Okay! We need rest, Isa and I!!”

He was showing a big smile but still coughed after this sentence.

Despite having been heal, he really needed to stop and rest.

Isa grabbed his hand, helping him to het on his feet and holding him on place as the lady leaded them to her house. Sunlight followed with a squeak.

“I’m glad your strange pet found me,” she said.

“She has a gift for that,” Isa replied.

She smiled to him, them, and climbed the steps to her door. She pushed it open and offered to Isa to enter. She closed behind Sunlight and then walked to another room.

“Come, please. You can lay your friend on my bed.”

“We’re not…”

“Uh-uh! Dude! I’m alive. We’re friend.”

“It is true,” Isa said. He closed his eyes. “Then, Miss, please, keep him as long as possible!”

“Eeeeeh!” Zack protested as Isa helped him to sit on the bed. “Buuut, if you’re okay, Miss? I’m Zack! And I’m really pleased to meet you!”

“I’m Aerith,” she replied. “Aerith Gainsborough.”

“I will leave you,” Isa said in a low voice, moving back.

“Isa! Don’t run away, dude, ‘kay?”

“Miss?” Isa asked.

“You can just call me ‘Aerith’,” she smiled. “And please, stay a little bit.”

Isa just nodded. It would have been rude to move like that but on the same time… he still had to cross the Worlds and achieve his mission, his Mark of Mastery… but he couldn’t leave like that.

“I will wait for you outside,” he said.

He moved outside and closed the door after Sunlight came out too.

But… alone in the living room, he didn’t know what he could do. He wouldn’t sit anywhere if he couldn’t. He guessed she would let him sit in the sofa but… he decided to wait, his arms folded, coming next to the window so he could glance outside.

This place held no Darkness.

Absolutely no Darkness…

Yen Sid had talked to him about people having no Darkness at all within them. Maybe she was one of them?

“Oh! You should have sat!” a soft voice came out.

Isa turned his head toward Aerith who just came out from the room. She stayed there for an half hour, at least. Her hand were tainted of red and she walked toward the sink.

“I didn’t know if I could.”

“Make yourself at home, please,” she said.

“Thank you.” Isa walked toward the sofa. Sunlight jumped on it with a squeak and came against his thigh, rubbing her head on it. “How is he?”

“I think he’s doing okay. He was joking and teasing while I healed him,” she smiled.

“Yes. He’s like that. Too stubborn to die,” Isa added with a smirk.

“You two have such a special friendship,” she smiled.

Water on her hands.

“I don’t have friends. I just met him,” he pointed out.

She looked up at him, her hands covered with soap.

“Why don’t you have friends?” she asked.

Isa thought about his vow, the only thing that still mattered for him. He didn’t reply to Aerith but the real reason was the fact he had sealed his own fate. He had made a vow. He didn’t want anyone to suffer because of him…

Sometimes, he wondered…

Could they really suffer when he would not be there anymore?

He doubted.

“I don’t want to force you,” she said, walking toward him. “But I can tell you he likes you very much.”

Isa forced a smile. That fake happy smile.

“It’s nice to know. Can I leave him to your care?” he asked.

“Will you come back?” she asked.

Isa got up, Sunlight in his arms.

He didn’t know.

Aerith bit her lower lip when she saw him walk toward the door.

“From what World are you coming for?”

Isa froze and turned his head toward her. “Excuse me?”

“You didn’t know this World was an open gates for the others World?” she asked, surprised.

“No. I just… I needed to save him,” Isa explained, his hand on the knob.

“This World had been created when the others dismanteled. A refuge for us all… For everybody losing his path… We’re waiting for our houses to come back.” Aerith brought her hand to her heart. “I just thought… When all of this will be restored… if… I will be glad to see you and tell you how Zack is.”

“I will come back,” Isa said. “However, he and I come from the same World. I can’t remember its name but our ruler was Ansem the Wise.”

“Me too…” she whispered. “I have others friends here who are from this World.”

Isa frowned.

He started to understand why his Heart had leaded him here. He ignored why, unless if the magic of that girl was that powerful, perhaps. But it was just the call of his own World. Of his memories, maybe….

“I will come back, Aerith. Take care of him, please.”

“I will. Take care of yourself.”

She smiled and looked him as he left her house. As soon as the door closed, she let out a sigh. The man was mysterious and it wasn’t what disturbed the more. It was more because of that sufferness she could feel.

Aerith walked back to her kitchen and prepared tea, her mind still busy with all of this…

She thought everybody knew about this World…

She never saw a lost soul knowing nothing about this safe place…

With tea and cookies, she came back in her room. Zack was dozing there, his breathe more lighter than she planned. She put down the tray next to him, knowing the soft smell could be relieving.

The extremely blue eyes appeared slightly, a smile stretched Zack’s lips.

“An angel?”

She smiled.

“Keep resting yourself,” she said, her fingers losing in the black locks.

“Thank you for everything,” he replied.

“It’s normal, Zack.” She grabbed a cookie and handed it to him. “You should have one.”

He pushed on his elbows to straighten and she leaned over him, her hand pressing on his chest. He slid his hands in.

“Everytime someone offered me a cookie, it was for bad news. So… bad news or cookies help to heal, here?”

“It could be politeness,” she replied. Thought, she sat next to him. “Your friend left. He said he’ll come back,” she added.

“If he comes back, that’s what I expected! He’s a busy guy!”

“You’re not upset?”

“No! We’re friend! He will come back!”

“Ah! When I thought I was about to offer you a homemade cookie to ease your heart!” she smiled.

“Homemade cookie?! I want him! I’m extra-sad! Please, please!”

“You look happy!” she laughed.

“Okay, maybe I’m happy but I’m suffering and deserve a cookie!”

“Very well! Here!”

She handed the cookie to him and he took it with a very large smile.

“I haven’t thanked you!” he noticed.

Aerith shook her head. “You don’t need to. It’d been a pleasure to help someone. You can stay as much as you want,” she swore to him.

“But…” He held out his finger. “You’d be okay for a date? To thank you!”

It was his best flirting technic but… it never worked.

Aerith leaned on him and pressed a kiss on his forehead before sliding a finger on his nose.

“Alright. When you will feel better!”

Zack blinked.

“Really?!”

“Really!”

He hugged her, crushing the poor cookie, out of joy.


	22. Smog

Isa didn’t know what he had to do exactly for his Mark of Mastery. How many Worlds to visit? How many people to save? He knew he had a certain time to accomplish his mission and do what Yen Sid expected from him.

Honestly, he didn’t think he had done anything.

Almost helped someone to rules the World; almost made killed his new friends; send puppies in chest…

Yen Sid wouldn’t be happy to know that.

Five years of training for that!

And, not only he had failed so many time but he also had so much questions. Why the fire didn’t have burned him? What was that World he let Zack in and why Yen Sid never talked about it? Did he even knew it? More selfish, he kept asking him if he was worthy. If the Darkness didn’t have swallowed him…

He had to order his thoughts.

Find somewhere he could go. Or maybe he shouldn’t? He had the feeling he was doing more bad than good…

Sunlight squeaked and gave tiny horn hit on the armor above his calf. At the moment he looked down toward her, she pointed out a World.

Isa trusted her. If she wanted him to go in this World, she probably had a reason.

He pressed his feet on the Keyblade and directed it toward the World she wanted. More he approached and more he discovered a land covered with sand. Wherever he was looking, there was sand, again and again and again…

And a powerful Darkness around.

Very powerful.

It cloaked the area and was almost unbearable. Through the metal of his armor, he pressed his hand above his belly. He wished the charm will work…

The Keyblade came slowly to the land. Isa get down from the glider, cautious. He looked around, trying to find a focus, to find somewhere to go, somewhere not to go…

Sunlight jumped on the ground and let out a squeak. Isa pressed his finger in front of his lips as the metal disappeared from his body. The Meow Wow seemed to nod and walked after him as he moved in the World.

With a World so much covered with Darkness, there was work to do.

It wasn’t possible that nothing was provoking it?

Yen Sid never talked to him about such World. He knew for the Princess of Heart, the Heartless, the Nobodies, the Unversed and, of course, the Dream Eaters… he studied a lot of World for days, sometimes even skipping sleeping to show his value and… while he knew he couldn’t know everything, he didn’t expect to feel himself still so ignorant…

As he walked, there was no sound.

His feet were sinking in the sand without the slighest sound, if not his breath being a bit harsher as he had to do efforts to move.

But it was the only thing.

He kept walking, Sunlight moving next to him, bouncing.

There was nothing. Not even bugs…

He really started to believe this World had just been abandonned to the Darkness and was just a lost and hollow sphere…

However…

No Heartless.

No actual danger. Just… Darkness.

Sunlight was sniffing around. She let out a very low squeak and moved toward a deep cliff. The sand slid, throwing itself in a pit so deep you could see nothing but the dark. Isa approached, holding his Keyblade. If something would happen, he could easily use the glider or defend himself.

But nothing…

Wait.

Not nothing.

He heard a sound…

It was nothing you could understand. Words, probably, but like a gibberish hoarse growl.

Isa was shivering without even controlling himself. He heard sound coming from the pit, sound of earth being crushed and then rolling away…

Something… coming from the depths of the World?

Darkness were moving away and he felt it trying to swallow him but… but this was strange and unexeplainable Darkness. It wasn’t something threatening and giving scaring feelings it was… something choking. Like an endless pain.

And it was coming from the pit, spreading, sliding along Isa’s limbs as if it wanted to bring it in the center of this World.

Isa struggled to breathe and paced backward.

As if it was just what It waited, something grabbed Isa by the ankle and threw him in the guts of the World.

Sunlight let out a powerful squeak before jumping in the pit after him.

Falling, Isa summoned his Keyblade, throwing it in the air. He held out his hand, the other going toward the sky as he sough for even a glimpse of Moonlight.

He heard those sounds, those… words?

His fingers seemed to be warm suddenly and so he closed his eyes. The fall seemed to be faster.

He could call his glider but he knew it wasn’t useful. Around his ankle, there was a kind of rope, rolling around his ankle, holding so tightly it was unbearable… As if the blood will never run into his foot anymore…

A white beam came from his palm, directly beaming the rope. It exploded and the creature let out what seemed to be a reversed groan?

Isa was too agape but he was also too attached to his life. His Keyblade came at him and he landed in, directing the glider to catch Sunlight. Which let out a happy squeak and licked his cheek, moving her tail. If the man held her against him, he looked the depths of this pit with suspsicion. Especially because he could see the sand sliding from the edge and yet, it was still an endless dark waiting for anyone letting this monster grab them…

He also noticed large structures made with rock. Their shape told him it used to be a civilized place…

What happened.

This only looked like those forgetten story where people died in the fear and the horror…

Yet, Isa approached from one of this platform and jumped on the floor covered with more sand.

The ‘words’ mumbled still came out. Isa kept his Keyblade in his hand, the other gleaming from the white light. But it was dangerous… Lately, he didn’t have take the time to discover and enter in symbiosis with the Moon… he was using an energy he knew nothing about… Perhaps it was the reason the fire haven’t burn him. Because of the way his body replied to those Moons lately.

Or maybe…

He heard a groan. A powerful and frightening groan. Worst than the growl of those dogs coming right from the Darkness. Maybe not worst than the discussion between Mickey and Donald he sometimes has to listen to. But way more frightening, for sure…

Isa had to find a way out.

His whole body was yelling to him ‘run away!’, his brain was begging ‘don’t stay here!’ but his Keyblade Wielder’s Heart? This one was an idiot and told him there was maybe people living here, with _that_.

He couldn’t leave.

He couldn’t always leave and then said things happened and let people with bigger magic doing it.

He learned for five year to be able to give to people immediate help!

“Sunlight, search for any living soul,” Isa commanded to her.

She let out a squeak and ran away on the platform. And still, she stopped, gaving him a deep look as the uncomprehensible gibbirish came back, nearer. Faster.

“MOVE!!”

She squeaked with more fear but jumped in the void. Isa wasn’t afraid. If ever the fall wasn’t good for her, she just teleport next to him. Caring for her was more an habit after so much years next to her…

Isa turned his head toward the edge.

“Come and talk to me! If this is what you seek for!”

He could hear the sound of something creeping out. He had no idea what was waiting for him. He was ready… he had seen so much, so many representation… and he knew what was the worst horrible thing yet.

Nothing could compete.

“Come to me!”

He held out his hand with beam shining and still prepared his Keyblade.

And then… he saw it appear.

He surely didn’t expect that. A gigantic demon with an ebony skin and white entrelacs adorning his skin. He was so big, two or three time taller than him and his horns seemed to be made in a stronge metal or stone. One was going to the sky, the other to the earth and his eyes were gleaming in a powerful red.

It talked to him, this frightening gibberish, and then… tentacles came out from him. In the second, Isa felt a powerful pain. He looked down and saw those tentacles just inside of him. In his belly, mostly, but also in his arm and chest.

He felt something unexplainable.

As if his life was stolen from inside.

He couldn’t breath anymore.

He couldn’t feel anything…

He heard Sunlight squeak far away. It was… the sound of something… dying.

Yen Sid told him that nothing could actually kill a Dream Eater… but the death of the one bonded to them. So… was this what death looked like?

Death was… just the void calling you?

He closed his eyes, not even able to fight. He heard, when you were about to die, you would see your life pass scrolling backward to you. But the only thing he was able to see was… Lea.

Of course, Lea…

“Sorry, Lea…” he whispered.


	23. Unexpected twinkle

“Honestly… I’ve nothing against you. I’m sure you’re a nice guy! And believe me! If I could, I would do absolutely nothing to you! Buuuut, I’ve rules to follow. So…”

Axel was smiling, flame in one hand, a chakram in another.

To be fair, when your job was to kill and make suffer people, at some point you had to choose: will you suffer it every day and hate yourself or will you like it and want more?

Axel had the chance to do both at once. He liked it and hated himself for that. But this was now a part of his personality… His eyes seemed to beam every time he had the chance to ravish a life, he liked to play with his prey… but every night, he will be with Zexion and use a little fire as a lighter in the dark of the night…

So he was smiling.

Smiling as he was about to throw his hands in more blood.

With time, he had to use a lot of his imagination to do something not too boring to kill. Every time, he could go crazy and have fun.

He was about to snap his fingers when…

His chakram fell from his hand.

“I…sa?” he whispered, his body feeling… so weird.

“Dahaka!!!”

Isa’s eyes opened suddenly. The pain was still engulfing him and that feeling… He couldn’t move. He blinked and, just after, saw a silhouette jump. The two daggers she had on hands sliced the tentacles. The huge Demon groaned and turned their head to her. He launched more tentacles but her daggers sliced them, droplets of water exploding around.

“Tsk!”

She jumped back and moved to Isa. This one was able to move again but… his mind was still numb.

“Don’t stay there doing nothing! You wanna die?”

Moving her hand, a harpoon jumped from the armor on her wrist and then a rope followed. She grabbed Isa by the arm and, still in shock, he didn’t realize what was happening that he was flying in the void, his hand in this lady’s hand. They passed through a waterfall.

Isa’s forehead hit the end of the tiny cavity and he groaned.

Outside, the creature… the Dahaka? They seemed to reply to his groan, his being so horrible, mixed with those words that weren’t exactly words…

Isa was still in pain, still numb but he took the time to glance around… everything was, in fact, set as a tiny room.

She was living here…

“Who are you and why are you trying to fight the Dahaka?!”

“I was trying to talk with him!” Isa replied.

He looked his flesh and saw no scars.

He didn’t understand anything…

A little squeak came out and Sunlight was suddenly here. The lady blinked in horror.

“Who are you?” she repeated.

Isa held the Meow Wow in his arms, against his Heart.

“I don’t want any harm,” he said. “I know Sunlight is impressive but you have nothing to worry about her.”

“You talked to the Dahaka!” she said. “You acted like you could actually do something?! Why would you…”

She groaned and looked him.

He looked her back. She had long hairs tied in a braid and her daggers were wet. There was an axe against the wall and her… the leather and the metal of her outfit gave something wild and dangerous to her appearance but the numerous veil coming from her skirt and the low part of her quite short top brought something more aerial.

Isa could have asked who she was too because something was broken within her.

He was broken enough to tell it when he saw it.

She has scars, she has something in her closed face… even in her dark eyes.

And her face…

Isa frowned. “Is it possible… that I know you?” he asked.

“You know me?” She let out a cold laugh. “I know no one. No one knows me. Why the Dahaka was running after you? What have you done?!”

“I don’t think I’ve done something wrong. I’m not from here. I just arrived.”

“Arrived? You can’t…” She stared him. “Nobody warned you?”

The mention of ‘nobody’ made twitch Isa.

“They did, right?” she asked.

“No,” he replied. “I don’t know this thing.”

“You don’t?” she smirked. “If the Dahaka chase you, you did something wrong…” She sighed as she moved in the really tiny cavern. “Here, you risk nothing: they’re afraid of water for some reasons. And about what the Dahaka is? I don’t know. It’s a Demon who has been created because someone played with time and now, they attack everything that could disarrange the time itself. So… what did you do?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” he replied.

“I don’t know. I should have done something or… maybe it’s because…” She frowned and grabbed his hand. “Your weapon! Show me your weapon!”

Sunlight groaned, staring her.

“Calm,” Isa replied.

And it was hard to know if it was toward her or toward the lady…

Just after, he let appear his Keyblade. She frowned and moved back. The sound of the water falling in her back was the only thing preventing her to recede more and to fall in a certain death…

“You have a key… And… that…” She pointed out the Dream Eater. “I know what it is.”

“She is a Meow Wow.”

“A…” The girl shook her head and she pressed her hand on her chest. “May my Heart be my guiding key…” she muttered.

“What?” Isa whispered.

She shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

“May your Heart be your guiding key. It’s what my… Master taught me while my training.” Isa approached her. “And your voice… Are you sure we never met?” He frowned. “When my Master told me those words… they were familiar…”

“Familiar? No one knew those words before. Well… two friends did. It’s been a while. In another life.”

Isa frowned. “What’s your name?!”

She opened her mouth, closed it and opened it again, seeming hesitant. “I’m… My name is Star.”

“Is it really your name?” he asked. “Or is it coming from those two friends?” he wondered.

She frowned.

“I was your Moon, Lea was my Sun and he always said you needed to be the Star, so it would be complete.”

The woman froze, tears coming in her eyes.

“And you always said that the Sun _was_ a Star yet,” she muttered. “Isa…” She walked toward him, her fingers twitching before she brushed his face. “I couldn’t recognize your voice… You changed so much! Where is Lea?!” she asked with excitation.

Isa’s eyes were also filled with tears but it probably wasn’t only because of the overwhelming emotion to find her after all those years…

He needed to sit and so did it. Even though it was on a very wet ground. Sunlight licked his cheek with a worry look.

“When you disappeared, we searched you… We tried to reach you. We entered Ansem’s castle as assistant… we thought I managed to become his apprentice thanks to my parents influence… However, we were wrong. It was a plan from Xehanort. He searched something within us…” Isa clenched his fist. “Lea is only his own shadow now… He lost his Heart…”

“He… He what?” she hiccupped.

She knelt by his side, her whole attitude having change now that she knew who he was… She even slid a friendly hand on his wrist, seeing him… so bad.

“I couldn’t save him. But I will,” he said. “And now, you’re here. You look fine. As fine as possible?”

“I’m trapped here since that guy with an eyepatch sent me here… and there wasn’t a day without having the Dahaka chasing me… I thought maybe it was because I wasn’t from this World so I was a danger for him… but he never went after the guy with the eyepatch….”

“I’m sorry, Star. However… you don’t have to stay here. With that key, I can bring you somewhere else. Somewhere you wouldn’t have to hide for your life…”

Well… maybe not really because he remembered the Worlds were dying one after the other…

But she could stop running away.

He knew he had a lot to do for his Mark of Mastery and maybe it was toward the Dahaka but… he had no idea what he could do. And if it was right the Dahaka, and those unbearable and indescribable Darkness, only appeared when you played with time… maybe that meant you just have to stop playing with time.

Isa wasn’t that surprised to have been chased by the Dahaka when he knew about his… His mentors have such strange magic, it could come from here.

Star was looking the Keyblade. On the floor but still there. It was so confuse in her head. She knew this thing was familiar, she remembered having something looking alike but it was like her real name… she has no idea what it was. No idea who were her friends… She remembered precisely only Isa and Lea but… being here, with the Dahaka for only company, she started to believe she will be alone forever…

But Isa was here…

There was finally someone friendly.

Something else than struggling to live. Because she had this place, yes, but nothing to eat. She had to leave to hunt every day and so risk her life…

“Can you?” she asked, with a tone saying that she had lost hope since so long.

She didn’t want the hope he was offering to her if it was for nothing after…

“Do I look like a liar?” Isa smirked.

She crossed her arms and looked him, a slight smile on her lips.

“You look like someone who would need a good hug!” she replied.

The little boy, always stern and serious but yet tender, had really changed. Or maybe she remembered him badly? Though… she was almost sure she was right. He had changed. He was often quiet, somewhat hurt by something but was able to be joyful and to cheer her up even if Lea was the best for that… But now, his smile, his soft voice… all of that was a shell, she could sense it.

Just something to make people hope.

She understood.

She must be like that too.

Star knew she wasn’t that joyful when she was in her jail, being just a rat lab, being within filthy hands who would made everything to her because… why not. If it was for the greater good…

But she changed too.

Changed because she had to become wilder and her fear became bitterness…

Isa came on his knees and embraced her in silence. She smiled and caressed his hair back. Taking care because she has really long nails. Isa could notice it now… he took his hand, pressing it softly in his hand.

“You’re ready?”

She nodded. “More than ever.”

Isa moved back and called his Keyblade. He turned it toward the wall and closed his eyes.

“Take me back home,” he whispered.

A beam came out and soon, a Keyhole appeared on there.

Star twitched a little. She felt something coming back from her memories but… nothing really significant…

Isa held out his hand to her. She gave him a confident smile and grabbed his hand, walking in the keyhole with him…

“How did you do?”

Axel groaned, rubbing his head. Above him, there was the sweet face of Zexion, leaning over him.

The Assassin realized he was on the floor and his head was way heavier that he thought. He remembered having lost his composure and just after, everything went blank. Now, being on the floor and not seeing any blood around, or his prey, he started to understand why he felt pain a bit everywhere.

His prey must have been knocked him out when he had felt such strange things. It was like Isa was dying, was disappearing from his memories… Something unbearable. Unacceptable!! And when everything went blank, his mind had a jump of fear… was he losing Isa?

How to know, now, if Isa was alive or not…

He had no Heart to know it.

Did he feel bad, without a reason to keep living?

He had the feeling he still had a reason to keep going…

“So?” Zexion asked, pushing his lock behind his ear.

“You didn’t say ‘hello’, I can’t reply to you!” Axel replied.

Zexion smirked and crouched next to him. “Hello, noddy. How did you do?”

“I have… no idea!!” Axel replied. “I just got… ugh! I felt like something was wrong and passed out.”

“Your target ran away.”

“Should we say so to Xemnas?”

“I don’t think so… What Xemnas doesn’t know can’t hurt him. Especially when the target is not… a danger? I analyzed everything. I think Xemnas is just having fun sometimes.” Zexion got up. “I heard his plans are moving in other way?”

Axel rolled on the floor to be on his belly and then sat. He scratched his head with a sigh.

“Yay, something like that. We’re still on it.”

Zexion glanced over his shoulder to him.

“Thank you for coming get me.”

“It’s a pleasure,” he replied.

“One day, you will have to check on me,” Axel said, opening a Corridor of Darkness, “because there is something wrong with me.”

“Well…” Zexion smirked. “Yes. We know that.”

Axel threw whim a look, his hand on his hips.

“You know what I mean!”

“Yes. And I will do it, of course. When we have the occasion. I still have to discover a lot about the Nobodies themselves. Father and I are perplexed by… well, so many things. The function of this body itself. What make us different of the Heartless? Where is the source of our Memories. When we will know that, we could know more,” he explained.

“You will need a _lot_ of time,” Axel sighed.

Zexion just nodded.

Each time they had the time to work on the Nobodies themselves, Xemnas needed them to do something else. It was Xemnas so Zexion, and Vexen too, knew he was trying to hide important clues from them but… what could they do? If they refused, didn’t work enough or tried to sneak… they could be destroyed, turned into dusk at worst.

They knew… it truly was Hell, here…


	24. Polestar

A half-day had passed.

Isa had twenty-four hours allowed to him. All of them expected a lot from him. All of them had to keep them busy while they were waiting for their protégé and apprentice to come back. Fauna had started to search what cake doing for him and since she has time, had decided to prepare something frozen with lot of preparations. That would keep her busy and she wouldn’t think too much, at least. Flora was studying and Merryweather couldn’t stay on place, coming to see the others to ask if she could be useful. At some point, Yen Sid send her create a cute outfit for Isa. If that could help. And he would even gladly accept a fight with Flora as long as they weren’t disturbing him.

He was studying the order of the Worlds with Minnie nearby him. She was reading books and also dealing with important affairs of her World. And Merlin? He was here and there, in space or time… He said to warn him when Isa will be back. How, since he wasn’t _here_? That was the question.

Suddenly, Fauna arrived in the office.

“He’s here! He’s here!!!”

“Isa?” he asked, holding back his surprise.

“Yes! Isn’t it frightening?! He had twenty-four hours to do it! Maybe he’s hurt?”

“Keep calm, Fauna. Don’t see it as a fail from him. Perhaps he had already saw so many Worlds he doesn’t find the need to pursue.”

“Yes, of course!” she said, whispering slowly.

Yen Sid was relieved she was calmed but… internally, he was worry too. Isa was very studious and he wouldn’t come back before the end of the time allowed it to him.

What could have happened to Isa?

He walked outside of his office and then his tower, followed by the green little fairy. He pushed the door and saw Isa, still holding Star’s hand. Sunlight squeaked and ran toward them. Fauna lowered herself and caressed her head with tenderness.

“Isa… You look great!” she said. “No hurts?”

He shook his head with a little smile.

“I’m fine. Pretty fine,” he replied.

Because, of course, he had his life that had been dragged out, he had to suffer attack and shocking situation…

Fauna fly to him and grabbed his cheeks to squeeze it with a tender smile.

“You do really look good. I will check that anyway,” she promised.

“Who is your friend?” Yen Sid asked, looking Star.

She still had this wild look, dirt and a bit of blood on her… And holes in her outfit. Tiny, stretched fabric and leather.

Isa bent his head slightly. “Sorry, I’m presenting you all my apologies. When I was in a World, I found her…”

“I helped him when he was in the hand of the Dahaka,” she explained with a smile. “I was a friend of him and Lea back the time I was trapped in Ansem’s castle. He helped me to get out of this World because none of them belong to me,” she said.

Isa nodded.

“In short, Star, here is Master Yen Sid and F…”

“Oh!” Fauna stopped, holding out her finger. “Are you that shy? You don’t want to call us dad and mom in front of your new-old friend?” she said, with a large soft smile.

Isa’s cheeks turned red and he looked down.

He wasn’t shy or shameful, certainly not. It was just strange to talk about them like that.

“Your parents?” Star repeated, surprised.

She tilted slightly her head and Isa could sense she was thinking. Probably questioning herself how this was even possible. He moved his hands to her, losing all his stern look and blushing even more.

“Please! Master Yen Sid and mom took care of me when I arrived here and… I just started to considerate them like more than teachers,” he said. He looked down. “It’s just… It always seemed easier to talk with them, be me, when I was with them.”

“I’m not judging you,” she replied with a tender smile. “Having parents is neat! Whoever they are.” She looked toward the two parents of her friend and then toward Isa. “I think I understand… the fact that strangers act sometimes, often, in a better way than most of your family.” She held out her hands and passed her arms around him to hug him. “That’s the reason I want to adopt you as a brother!”

Isa blinked at this.

She let out a laugh and squeezed his cheek. The wild gleam in her eye was still there but she also seemed to be relieved.

It was a whole new experience for her.

He knew she didn’t remember anything before her prisoner state and from the discussion, he doubted she remembered more now. Which meant she always had been trapped or in a difficult situation.

For the first time, she was free. Without nothing to worry about.

This only made him smile.

Smile for real.

And he heard Fauna made a soft sound before hugging them both, a little tear in the corner of her eye.

“Oh my dear children…” she said.

“I think I’m adopted! See?” Star smiled. “Though…” She tilted a bit more her head. “I was joking… I’m sorry?”

“Don’t worry, treasure. I’ve already a beautiful son! And I can take care of you! You need a bath and maybe something to eat?” Fauna offered. “Isa, darling, I’m preparing something for you?”

Isa nodded.

“Thank you, mom.”

She kissed his cheek before grabbing Star’s hand, bringing her in the tower. There was a bathroom available for her. And a bit of magic will bring a whole outfit for her. Merryweather and Flora will be probably delightful to take care of that. She needed to warn them!

As he turned toward Yen Sid, Isa lost his smile. He bowed, his hands along his body.

“I’m sorry, Master, I failed…”

“Come with me in my office,” he said.

“Obviously,” Isa replied.

He waited to see the man moving out and leaned to grab Sunlight before following him through the stairs.

When they arrived in the office, Minnie got up and came toward him. Isa put down the Meow Wow and took softly the mouse’s hand in his, offering a delicate kiss on the glove she was wearing.

“It’s a pleasure to see you.”

“You know you don’t need to do that with me,” she said. She had such a soft smile, warming his Heart softly. “I’m glad you’re back in one piece.”

Isa just smiled, in a faker way than earlier.

“Have a sit,” Yen Sid said.

He moved his hand, making appear a chair in front of his desk. Isa just complied, sitting without even watching him. His fingers brushed the scarf around his neck before his hands found his knees and he stopped moving. Even seemed to stop breathing.

“How many Worlds did you have seen?”

“Three.”

“How…”

“My apologies. Four. I saw four Worlds.”

Yen Sid frowned.

“Only twelve hours passed. How can you have forgotten one World like that?” Minnie asked.

She was sat in a chair next to Yen Sid’s desk.

“It seemed normal for me that the question was laying on the number of World I tried to help someone. Then, it would be three. But I saw a fourth.”

“The place where you found your friend?” Yen Sid wondered.

Isa shook his head. “In the second World I went, there was someone who wanted to kill puppies Dalmatians and a boy was trying to save them. We talked together and we went attacked by creatures send by this someone. Big monstrous dogs. The boy had been attacked and he was dying. I summoned my Keyblade and brought him to any World my Heart would lead me to. This World had people coming from my World too. This World had no Darkness and the girl I met there said it was an open gate to other Worlds.”

“It’s interesting,” Yen Sid replied. “This would ask more researches… However…” He looked Isa with his cold look. “Have you stopped this Villain?”

Isa shook his head.

“What about the puppies?” Minnie asked with horror.

“I used Merlin’s magic to try to save them. I saw what it did on three of them and could only hope it did the same to the others,” Isa replied.

“Merlin’s magic? Where are they?” Yen Sid demanded.

The young man looked down. “In chest.”

“Excuse me?” Yen Sid said.

“Pardon?” Minnie gasped.

“They are in chest.”

“It’s…” the Queen started.

“They are safe, at least,” Yen Sid replied. “If the magic of Merlin worked as it works, and knowing you, I’m not afraid.”

“I am,” Isa replied. “I don’t know where they are.”

“In security, for now,” the former Master stated. “What’s the first World?”

“It was a place, separate in different lands. I arrived in one looking like a sweet paradise. There were chocolate, biscuits and candies everywhere,” he explained. “I found a Fairy there… she was so sad. The Darkness of this World seemed to come from her. I believe it was created from her sorrow. She said she needed a key… A key to unlock something that could help her to defend herself from someone evil.”

“You believed her,” Yen Sid said.

Isa nodded.

“And she was lying to you.”

New nod. “Did you guess it because of the way I told the story?” he asked.

“What about the third World?”

“It is the one I meet Star. There was an unbearable Darkness there. It was even hard to breathe… A creature approached me… It was the one holding so much Darkness. But their Darkness was special. I wanted to understand, do my best to help. It attacked me and I felt myself… disappearing? Star saved me. And when I discovered who she was… I couldn’t stay her where she was.”

Yen Sid laid his hands on the desk.

“I see.”

“I understand I had disappointed you,” Isa whispered. “I wasted five years of your time.”

Yen Sid looked him and got up, his hands coming in his back. “You’re right. We trained you for five years. Perhaps more since you had visited The One Hundred Acre Wood numerous times. We taught you how to fight, how to use magic… We gave you this Dream Eater and gave you love, food and a roof when you needed it. We gave you anything to always lighten your path… We gave you the opportunity to become a Master of the Keyblade and fulfill your dream of finding back your friend… And when the Mark of Mastery happened, what you did? You almost created chaos while wanting to help; you tried to help and send puppies in chest, abandoning the mission to save _one_ life and you almost risked your life because you thought you could talk with someone filled with Darkness? And, of course, you interrupted your own exam because it was more important to bring a smile to a face.”

Isa looked down, his hands shaking on his knees.

“If you want, I can leave,” he muttered.

“Leave? Yes, it is what I expect from you.”

Isa’s Heart was so painful. He wanted to squeeze it, search the courage in Lea’s scarf. But he couldn’t move, feeling the tears in his eyes and fighting to keep them. He could have live with a fail. He could have live without being a Master of the Keyblade because it wasn’t the most important for him…

But this disappointment?

The fact that he had to leave.

“I expect you to find this World you talked me about… Master Isa.”

Isa chocked with his saliva and a sob.

He realized Sunlight was rubbing herself against him and she offered him the softest squeak, her tail moving fiercely.

“Ma… Master Isa? I… I don’t understand, Master? I failed? I abandoned the mission? I failed!”

“The important isn’t to success,” he said. “You searched the path of Light through the Darkness. Perhaps you made a mistake with the puppies but you tried to save them. And you showed than a life was more valuable than an exam. You have proven you were worthy of the title of Master.”

“I… “

“And…” Yen Sid approached him, laying a hand on his shoulder. “I am proud of you, my son.”

Isa got up from the chair and, in an impulsion coming from his Heart, he hugged him. Yen Sid was surprised but smiled softly, hugging him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to make it longer and had lot of ideas but I haven't touched it since a big time and I prefer cutting it with this open end. Perhaps I will come back to it later?  
> Anyway, please, thanks @Saixbosom because, without him, this fic wouldn't have lived and I had so much fun doing it!!


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